Gaza burns and we just hold a minute's silence
MORE than 1,000 dead, almost a third of them children, 6,000 injured and massive destruction - and the bloodshed and mayhem and horror continues in Gaza.
Every day on our TV screens we see the horrific images of the aftermath of yet another missile strike or mortar round on schools, crèches and hospitals.
What make this conflict in Gaza almost unique is that you have 1.8 million people packed into a tiny sliver of land, hemmed in and blockaded on all sides with no hope of escape, refuge or safety.
On one side is the Israeli army and on the other the terrorist organisation HAMAS, who precipitated the latest conflict by firing rockets at Israel.
It's an intractable stand off. The victims of the ferocious and, in my opinion, totally barbaric attack by the Israeli army on Gaza are the innocent men, women and children.
The whole world seems to be idly standing by at what can only be described as the genocide of the Palestinian people continues.
As a small nation, our response to the crisis has been one minute's silence in Dail Eireann earlier this month to show our revulsion at the horrible scenes in Gaza.
It was at least, a solemn and sincere gesture.
However, last week we chose to abstain on a UN motion condemning the Israeli attacks and blockade of Gaza.
Like the rest of the world, it seems as all we can do is stand idly by and impotently watch as this unspeakable tragedy draws to its bloody and inevitable conclusion.
