Oireachtas committee to quiz warring Gaza delegations
The committee will hear from Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Zion Evrony, and Head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Ireland, Dr Hikmat Ajjuri tomorrow.
Chairman of the committee, Dr Michael Woods said it was particularly significant that both men had agreed to appear together.
“The committee is extremely alarmed at the scale of the violence and bloodshed occurring in Gaza and have decided to call this emergency meeting in order to attempt to obtain a clearer picture of the motivations and positions of all parties.
“I think it is encouraging that both Dr Evrony and Dr Ajjuri have agreed to appear jointly at the committee and share a platform at this time when dialogue is more important than ever,” he said.
The meeting will come after weekend protests in support of both sides in the conflict.
On Saturday Freedom for Palestine campaigners marched through Dublin city centre, and rallied outside Leinster House. There were also protests in Cork and Kerry.
Yesterday the Irish Christian Friends of Israel Group arrived at Leinster House for a prayer service.
It is the second Oireachtas committee to seek to influence the fighting in the Middle East.
On Friday two members of the European affairs committee requested the United Nations high commissioner for human rights to come to Dublin later this week.
Michael Mulcahy TD said the European Union could lean more heavily on Israel if it felt it was flouting human rights laws in its effort to neutralise Hamas.
An economic agreement between the Union and Israel requires governments to respect human rights.
Mr Mulcahy said if this was not the case the Union should cancel its economic ties with Israel.
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