Statement by President Higgins following Knesset votes on UNRWA

Statement by President Higgins following Knesset votes on UNRWA

Date: Tue 29th Oct, 2024 | 14:39

"The images are repeating themselves. Once again we will see young people holding out containers that remain empty as they seek food. This time it will be different in that not only are their vessels empty, but the United Nations agency that has stayed with them through conditions of siege and war is being threatened with closure.

100,000 people in northern Gaza, the majority women and children, are effectively trapped with no safe place to go to. Two of their three hospitals are destroyed and one is under siege. Older people are dragged from their hospital beds and the extraordinarily brave medical staff who have stayed with the most vulnerable are paying with their lives and the threat of arrest.

Ireland, along with a number of other European states, has strongly condemned the attacks on the lead United Nations agency, UNRWA, without whom there will be no one to assist. Ireland has been consistent in its demand for the release of hostages.

It is of the utmost importance that other member states of the United Nations and the European Union do not remain silent in such circumstances.

Yesterday's statements expressing support for the work of UNRWA, including those by the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the joint statement by the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom amongst others are welcome, however all member states need to make their support clear. Silence from those who have had the best of aspirations for the EU and its future during a grave humanitarian catastrophe would be more than disappointing, it damages the Union.

Given the circumstances of people starving to death, the placing under attack of the United Nations agency that is responsible for keeping them alive constitutes an appalling failure of diplomacy and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

In so many statements since the terrible events of October 7th and the response to it, reference has been made to the creation of a Palestinian state. This has been declared to be unacceptable and unviable due to 'no space' by Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose intentions are clearly ones of not responding to illegal occupations but rather to intensify them, even if it requires the removal of populations.

It is time to stop this horror of history. Palestine and Israel will ultimately have to live together in spaces adjacent to each other. We need not only ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, but the violence must end and the diplomatic work that is needed to bring this to reality commenced. The hostages should be released now, and significant prisoner releases should take place."