Ireland must press for ceasefire in Lebanon-Israel conflict
Issued : Tuesday 1 August, 2006
Labour Party President and Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Michael D Higgins, has called on the Irish government to actively push for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.
Deputy Higgins said:”The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs is meeting on Wednesday after I called for it to be recalled to discuss as a matter of urgency, the tragedy which is unfolding in Lebanon and Israel in the full gaze of the international community.
“During the discussion I will be pressing that the Irish government do everything in its power, at UN and EU level, to ensure that a ceasefire is called immediately as a matter of priority. To this end, I call upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs to demand that the EU make this point at this week’s Council of Ministers meeting, and that further, he insist that such a ceasefire as may emerge will not be used as an opportunity for the further destruction of the civilian infrastructure of Lebanon.
“The most important thing, now, is to facilitate an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities from both sides.
“I am grateful to the Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Michael Woods, for facilitating this meeting. I will move two motions at the meeting, the texts of which are attached.”
