(Leader of Plaid
Cymru): Thank you very much. The atrocities in Israel and
Gaza continue to touch us all over a week after the Hamas
attacks. Just as we united in condemning those appalling attacks,
we must also unite now in calling for the preservation and
respect of international law. There is never a justification for
punishing a whole population as is happening in Gaza at the
moment. We in Plaid Cymru—and I'm sure I speak on behalf of the
whole Senedd—stand shoulder to shoulder with everyone in Wales
who is concerned about loved ones in the middle east. We send our
support to a vigil held in Cardiff this weekend, led by , for the people of Israel and Palestine.
In Gaza, of course, there is a real humanitarian crisis, with the
United Nations warning that asking people to move out of
hospitals in northern Gaza is tantamount to a death sentence for
them. Given the lack of medical supplies, fuel and water, will
the First Minister ensure that the Welsh Government plays its
part, like other Governments across these isles, by making a
contribution, including a financial contribution, to that
humanitarian effort in Gaza?
(First Minister of
Wales): I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for those questions. As I said
last week, I'm sure that everyone here in the Senedd remains very
concerned about the situation in Israel and in Gaza as
well.
I'm grateful to people like and other leaders in the
faith communities, who have come together to support people here
in Wales with family members and other loved ones over in
Israel and Gaza as well.
Today, the Minister, , has been talking to people in
this area regarding whether it would be useful to draw people
together, as we are doing in the faith communities forum that we
have here in Wales. If there is more that we can do to help
people here in Wales to cope with everything they're facing, of
course, we will be eager to do so. But, things are moving so
quickly every day, what we're trying to do is to stay with the
people who have the responsibilities. We don't have
responsibilities on the floor of the Senedd for overseas affairs,
but we are trying to stay in contact with the people with those
responsibilities in Westminster, in Government and opposition
parties, to see whether there's anything that we can do, and
we'll be eager to do it.
