merrion street

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore, T.D., has voiced his serious concern over the violence in Gaza and southern Israel in recent days which has resulted in a large number of fatalities within Gaza and has left many Palestinian and Israeli civilians injured.

“I deplore the escalation of violence which we have witnessed in both Gaza and southern Israel since last Friday. I have repeatedly made clear that I condemn extrajudicial killings of any kind as well as the disproportionate use of military force which results in large-scale civilian casualties.”

“I equally and have repeatedly condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel and the resulting terror inflicted on the population of southern Israel.”

“I join with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, EU High Representative Ashton and others in the international community in appealing for an immediate end to this latest cycle of violence and for urgent restraint to be shown on all sides.”

“Having recently visited the region, I know for myself that there remains no greater priority in the Middle East than ending the conflict between Israeli and Palestinian and promoting a comprehensive and just political settlement, based on the two-State solution. I therefore appeal on all sides to halt the violence and instead concentrate on the truly vital task of promoting the conditions in which substantive direct peace talks can resume and make real progress towards that peace agreement which is so urgently needed.”