Member's statement: Israel and the Middle East
Member's statement by Mr Peter Martin on .
- MLA
- Mr Peter Martin
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 17 June 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Israel and the Middle East
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5013438
Read the official Assembly record
Text
On 7 October 2023, 1,200 Jewish civilians were murdered by Hamas. Since that day, there has been significant loss of human life in the Middle East. It is important to make it crystal clear that the death of every innocent victim is appalling, and we mourn equally every innocent life lost. Along with every other right-thinking person, I want an end to the conflicts, a permanent ceasefire, the return of the Israeli hostages, who are being held against the Geneva Convention, and, ultimately, a peaceful, two-state solution. I acknowledge the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in the midst of conflict, and I welcome the increase in the humanitarian aid coming into the region. Although we fully support Israel's right to defend itself, we advocate efforts to find a lasting peace. The path forward requires a commitment from all legitimate and lawful parties to seek solutions that respect the dignity and rights of all the people involved. It is our collective responsibility as elected representatives to oppose the antisemitism and terrorism that threaten not only Israel but the stability of the entire region. It is worth noting that, since the heinous events of 7 October, over 26,000 missiles have been fired at civilian targets in Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Yemen. Over the past number of days, Israel has carried out strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran to degrade its abilities to procure weapons-grade uranium and develop a ballistic missile system that can effectively deliver it. Iran is designated a state sponsor of terror because of its support for Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It is clear that many Iranians, perhaps the majority, oppose the tyrannical hold that their Government exert on their people. There are plenty of Arab states in the Middle East that will not say so out loud but that quietly welcome any action to degrade Iran's capacity to destabilise their countries through state-sponsored terrorism by Hezbollah and Hamas in particular. Let us remember that Israel is fighting for its very existence. Many of those who oppose Israel seek the complete destruction of the Jewish state and its inhabitants. They scream, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free". That is a rallying call for the establishment of a state of Palestine that goes from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean Sea, erasing the state of Israel and its people. Therefore, we:
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem".
409 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.19 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- Criteria met: Identity framing (0.75).
- The text adopts the identity-based framing in its own voice (0.59).
- Subject area: Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.75 | Yes |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.27 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.03 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.32 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.11 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.16 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.19 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.16 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.25 |
| Adopts it (chosen) | 0.59 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice) | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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