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TÁNAISTE EAMON GILMORE has expressed concern over escalating tension in Gaza which has seen a large number of fatalities and injuries in the region in the past four days.
A total of twenty-one people, including eighteen militants, have been killed in Gaza since Friday in what has been the worst outbreak of violence the region has seen in months. The fighting was triggered by Israel’s killing of a militant leader.
“I deplore the escalation of violence which we have witnessed in both Gaza and southern Israel since last Friday,” the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs said this evening.
“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”.
The latest attacks occurred today when Israeli airstrikes killed three people in the Gaza Strip as Palestinian rockets continued to be fired at southern Israel.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs said he condemned both the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel and the Israeli airstrikes:
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.
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Meanwhile in Syria…….
Gilmore hasn’t got an ounce of credibility left within his own country, so does he really think anyone else listens to him??
Meanwhile the Baha’i in Iran suffer institutional apartheid and the Copts are fleeing Egypt.
Maybe the Minister could inform Israel what exactly is proportionate.Just so the IDF know for future defence and can fire the exact Gilmore approved amount
What a tired old argument, and it’s so predictable from all the Israeli apologists on any discussion about Israeli terrorist acts. “but what about Syria” “but what about Iran” “but what about Egypt”. The last time I looked Israel was supposedly an oasis of democracy in the middle east. I find it hilariously ironic that supporters of Israel have to mention such barbarous regimes when anyone dare to criticise Israeli killing.
Say, since we’re discussing the region, does anyone know when the trendy lefties are organising their flotilla to Syria, or do we only care when there are evil jews involved?
Good man John. Don’t you ever change /s
Well said John
I love how 15 people give me a thumbs down for suggesting that the left should care just as much for Syrian arabs as Palestinian ones.
I love how you unfairly presume that the left don’t equally care about the situation in Syria. Oh, but no.. you’re right wing and must make that known to others at every opportunity. You and your like are so horribly predictable.
Do you even realise how utterly stupid you look when you jump into topics like this; ranting on about how the left only discuss Israeli topics? The Left & Right divide is not defined by geopolitics.. you’ll happilly defend Israel and its actions while at the same time decrying other nations for practising the very same things.
That doesn’t make you a right-winger, it makes you a bit of a lunatic and a complete hypocrite.
The flotilla’s to Gaza are an attempt to highlight the mass poverty and starvation caused by the Israeli blockade. The situation in Syria is completely different. Add to that the fact that numerous organisations and movements, both Palestinian and otherwise, have called on the international community to help alleviate problems, but due to the Israeli blockade, this help cannot reach its intended target. In contrast, the Syrian opposition has, for the most part, repeatedly said it does not want help from the international community bar that of Libya given the similarities of what happened there. That position is only one that has changed recently.
Maybe instead of focusing on moronic statements about “trendy lefties” you should focus on not making uninformed, unintelligent right wing comments anymore. Sound.
Ah now. Untwist your knickers.
I don’t “presume” that the left cares less about Syria. It’s observable fact. For palestinians, you guys will attend marches and demos and stand beside Hamas flags. For Syria, you might, grudgingly, click “like” on a facebook post.
Is Syria being blockaded? That would be news to me. Of course it would still be a different situation with its own nuances…
Mass starvation ??? Any evidence
Seeing as Hamas sets the limit to what food is ordered and Hamas ordered the destruction of the irrigation and farm units Israeli settlers were paid to
Leave behind . I find your accusation hilarious
Gaza has higher life expectancy than Glasgow.
On top of that the flotilla has actually no aid and your support for the flotilla looks pathetic . The last Irish boat only had rugby balls .
Seriously are you trying to say Ireland is not biased against Israel. ??? Lol . Cheers for the best laugh all night
“Seriously are you trying to say Ireland is not biased against Israel. ??? Lol . Cheers for the best laugh all night”
The problem is that you hold a bias towards Israel. You are so entrenched in and blissfully ignorant in your own little world; that anyone who strays out of your comfort zone is instantly deemed to be the biased party.
You, and others like you are walking adverts for Fox News. Or for why Fox News is bad for you.. depending on which side of the fence you’re on. =p
Dude. That’s it everyone who speaks out for Israel is a Fox news watcher.
Grow the hell up.
Next you will be telling me I am paid for speaking out for Israel.
Pathetic really.
I only speak out because I am sick of the high jacking of our foreign policy by IpSC types
John, you’ll probably be on the next flotilla to Gaza if your record for changing teams is anything to go by.
You must have had your head wrecked all evening Chan to come up with that response .
John, why do you equate the crimes against humanity comitted by the nethenyahu regime as ‘evil jews’? There are jewish holocaust survivors right now who are horrified to see the people of gaza trapped in their own private warsaw ghetto, committed in the name of the suffering that they themselves had to endure. Equating the actions of the nethenyahu regime to Jews as a whole is no better than equating the actions of the Mugabe regime to black people as a whole. Their crimes against humanity has nothing to do with their religion or race, they’re just scumbags of the highest order.
Aimed at McGuirk obviously, not this Murphy chap.
“Gaza has higher life expectancy than Glasgow”
Ah yes, straight out of your Hasbara handbook Barry Williams, how many times have we heard that bollocks from Zionists? First of all it’s Glasgow East who’s MEN have a life expectancy of 54 due to self inflicted drug and alcohol abuse and battered Mars bars, the lowest in the entire UK. The MEN and WOMEN of Gaza have a low life expectancy rate due to Israel’s blockade effecting medical supplies, clean water and even power for their hospitals. Oh yes the people of Gaza should be really proud of this shouldn’t they Barry?
Oh The Hasbara handbook ??? Can you buy that on EBay.
Facts still stand firstly I am NOT Barry and secondly
Palestinians have a higher life expectancy than it’s Arab neighbours and the highest literacy rates in the Arab world.
Hardly starving or in dire need. It’s a political campaign nothing humanitarian about it at all
Yeah whatever Barry, you keep watching Sky news and stay in your little “I love bibi with his big fluffy head” fantasy World.
Lol. I said that about Peres. Go learn the difference .
Are you sure? I thought it was Bibi :)
Ah sure yeh, Israels biggest fear was that the Irish tainaiste would weigh in on their activities. They’ll stop now…
Gilmore should pay attention to Ireland where our own home grown terrorists are going to be the ruling party in the next government.
If you have any evidence of the leadership of Sinn Fein being involved of acts of terror, why don’t you post them here or take them to the relevant authorities??
Are there any politicians you like Frank. Just wondering?
I’m surprise Pat that you haven’t tried to associate Hamas with TG4. I’m probably only putting ideas in to your very disturbed mind.
This country cannot survive another FF or FG Govt. It is that simple.
Sorry Christine but saying 21 died without clarifying that Hamas consider 18 of them to be militants is really putting a bit of spin on the article.
If you love terrorist Israel so much why dont u move over there .. We won’t miss your one sided comments at all..
If Gilmore wants to help he should have a word with his terrorist buddies in Hamas and Islamic Jihad who are raining missiles down on Israel. At least Iron Dome has managed to take out 90% of the missiles it targeted preventing the deaths of numerous innocent Israelis. At least Hillary Clinton in her statement rightly placed the blame at the door of the Palestinian terrorists, but most Irish lefties will never say anything about the atrocities they carry out.
Thank you.May I suggest you take a piece of your own advice and feck off to Gaza
So Lucille Ball, Would you like all dissenting voices to be purged from this Website so that your certainties can go unchallenged? Actually I hear there’s another media organisation that provides that service.
Good to see you again John, agree with your points as usual! As usual the delightful shinner lefty MS Saoirse crew are out it force choosing to ignore the other side of the coin
Gilmore reminds me of an oul’ wan that lived on my road years ago. She read the obituaries every day and then went from door to door , passing the news whilst crying into her hankie.
Palestinian rocks huh? That makes the Israeli response look a tad disproportionate…
Fair play to him. Nice to see someone in the government actually doing something positive and worthwhile with their position in government. Given our past history and how we have dealt with it in recent years, Ireland could be well positioned to be an effective, impartial mediator between the two when they finally decide to get their acts together.
Impartial Ireland.
Ireland is known for being anti Israel so I think saying Ireland is impartial is hilarious.
You make a lot of generalised bs statements
Ireland is “anti-Israel” and I’m the one with bs statements?
I posted a response to your Ireland is not biased above. Lol. Cheers for the laugh mate
Antisemitism runs deep in the catholic psychi. Maybe Gilmore could make a difference if he can present Ireland as genuinely neutral. Sadly the quoted statement above was so focused on balance it said barely anything. He has Alan Shatter’s sensibilities to take into account. This need not be an impediment…
Yeah I saw that. Having seen everything you’ve replied with I think its pretty ironic that I’m supposedly the one that makes a lot of generalised bs statements. In all you’re replying to people you haven’t posted one fact to back up your viewpoint. You can come back to me when you’re interested in having a argument involving some actualities instead of whatever it is you’re posting here. (I was going to say generalised bs statements, but when you’re not even making those about an issue even thats kind of hard.)
You’ll learn soon enough Val that this Murphy person is indeed the most childish poster on the journal. If he doesn’t agree with one side of the debate, rather than back it up with facts or links, he rants that everybody is “pathetic” and “cheer leading” for the Palestines. Becareful Val, you will be called names and abused by this tyrant :)
Not too worry Peter, seems like one of those people that, instead of making an intelligent, fact based argument, will say things such as “Your statements make me laugh” to try belittle someone who doesn’t agree with him because he can’t form a proper argument…Thanks for the heads up though :)
No trouble at all Val. As for your comment, I completely agree with you. We have people in this country and North of the border, that have successfully formed a peace agreement between two very divided races. It many not entirely change peoples feelings towards each other but it has stopped blood shed. Surely John Hume, David Trimble, Mary McAleese, Gerry Adams and dare I say it, Bertie, would have something to offer.
I would say definitely Bertie! Despite everything he has managed to do to himself to utterly destroy his reputation, probably the one aspect of it that will never be destroyed is his contribution to peace on this island. He might be bringing a bit too much baggage with him now (can a person widely believed to be on the monetary profiteering end of a bribe really have a part in such a sensitive negotiation?) to have a part in negotiations, but theres definitely a case that his experience could be used in some part of it, maybe as a consultant or some input on a path to peace. Certainly Hume and Trimble anyway!
What’s is wrong with.our politicians Gilmore is sorting out the middle east Kenny is leading Europe to fiscal responsibility Aidi Roche is solving nuclear power issue Hogan is making our water the envy of Europe mean while we have 450000 unemployed
80000 on a trolly last year
Childrens hospital urgently need 8 million
Our government wants us to be the best boys in European class.
Lads we are in the shit here so stop trying to save the world start here first !!!!!!!!!!
Thats nonsense John. We can’t bury our heads in the sand.
tool
Never mind Gaza, what about Gallaghergate Mr Gilmore? Let’s get the priorities right. The national broadcaster has been implicated in ‘running interference’ in the presidential election campaign. Deflecting attention won’t wash.
At least RTE is balanced in its coverage of the Middle -East, isn’t it?
Eamon who ??
Ireland the most ” non-neutral neutral” country in the world
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