Israeli authorities deny Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheal Martin permission to visit the impoverished coastal sliver of Gaza which has long been under an Israeli siege.
Speaking at the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs on Friday, Martin said no substantive reason had been given for the refusal.
“I just wanted to go in myself and see Gaza,” he said according to the Irish Times newspaper.
Similar requests from other European countries had also been turned down.
The Irish Foreign Minister meanwhile described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as ‘completely unacceptable.’
“If progress is not realized quickly, then the international community as a whole may need to reconsider what further pressure it can bring in favor of achieving a negotiated, two-state settlement,” Martin told the committee.
Israel has imposed a crippling siege on the Gaza Strip since.
The Israeli army also launched a massive military offensive, known as ‘Operation Cast Lead’ against the coastal sliver in December 2008 and January 2009. More than 1,400 Palestinians were killed during the three-week offensive, which inflicted $ 1.6 billion of damage to the Gazan economy.
“I am appalled by the indiscriminate attacks by Israeli forces which have resulted in so many civilian fatalities. The death and suffering, as well as the humanitarian deprivation, now being inflicted on the people of Gaza as a result of the continuation of the Israeli Operation Cast Lead cannot be justified in any way and must now be brought to an immediate end,” Martin stated.
Martin also called on Tel Aviv to provide further clear evidence it was ‘serious about engaging in peace negotiations’ rather than being more preoccupied with ‘simply managing what could well escalate into a situation of incipient conflict.’
RELATED ARTICLES
- UN says 70% of Gaza's population faces Catastrophic Hunger
- Israeli Rabbi Calls to Genocide Gaza, Says Torah Demands Killing Babies
- Syrian Foreign Minister says his Country is Ready for War with Israel
- Israeli PM orders evacuation of last Gaza safe zone
- Israel to Downgrade Covid to Flu Status
Loading ...
Israel the ‘aggressor’ eh? Really.. Israel has been an ally, and supplies intel. There is NO place called ‘palestine’, if there were, why are they demanding that a place called Israel give up their land for a place that supposedly already ‘exists?’ TOO FUNNY.
You have Muslims demographics on one side of your page, and propaganda about Israel who is outnumbered by 57 states with 330 million hostile toward it, inc Iran that all want them dead, and you whine and complain like BABIES, b/c Israel does NOT want any more rockets shot at them in Sderot and Ashkelon, which is a DAILY thing.
I am against foreign aid, but this is so damned stupid feeling sorry for HAMAS. You all get what you friggin deserve for siding with a damned enemy that wants DEATH to mankind-ISLAM.
Sick and damned shameful.