Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2023-11-21
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Mary Lou McDonald (SF), Dublin Central

No, and I am sure the Taoiseach is aware of the clarification. The referral to the International Criminal Court would be actions that occurred on the occupied Palestinian territories because, of course, Palestine, unlike Israel, supports and is a signatory to the ICC.
I very much welcome the fact that there are live discussions, and the real prospect of a hostage release. Of course, all of us long for young Emily Hand to be back with her family. She celebrated her ninth birthday only last Friday.
I put it to the Taoiseach that the ceasefire creates the space for hostages to be returned and space for dialogue to very quickly move to re-establishing a peace process. That is where all of this will end. Part of the mix has to be accountability for Israel. I do not differ with the Taoiseach on anything he said in respect of a total ceasefire on all sides - absolutely; and to criticise the 7 October attack by Hamas - absolutely. We have walked that ground many, many times. What the Taoiseach has failed to do, is resisting doing and is necessary to do is to hold Israel to account. I asked him that question and he said Israeli actions cannot be without consequence. What are the consequences?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2023-11-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:25+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-11-21