Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

Earlier today, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, was taking Leaders' Questions. He was asked about the horror being rained down on the people of Gaza. He said that what is taking place is a war on children. It is a war being waged by Israel against Palestinian children. That is a very good description of what is happening. More than 4,000 children have been killed. Bombs have been raining down on hospitals. A children's hospital has been surrounded by Israeli tanks. Israeli soldiers have been going in and telling the staff that they have to leave, and that they have no choice because otherwise they are going to be shot. The incubators in which babies have been placed are having them turned off because the hospital has run out of fuel. This has been caused deliberately because Israel has been starving Gaza of food, fuel and water. The babies are then, effectively, left to die. There has been a mass grave of hundreds of people at a hospital, including children.

This is a war on children. It is also a war on adults in Gaza. I agree with the Minister, Deputy Harris, that this is a war on children, then, but what is he going to do about it? He has just described it as it is: it is a war on children. Tomorrow night, however, the Minister, Deputy Harris, having said to the world that this is a war on children, will come into the Dáil and vote to say that Ireland will not make a referral to the ICC in respect of a war on children that is taking place. He is going to come into this Chamber and say he is not going to vote to expel the Israeli ambassador, despite the fact that Israel has acknowledged it is conducting a war on children. He is also going to vote against imposing any economic sanctions on Israel, despite the fact it is conducting a war on children. It sums up the utter hypocrisy of the Government on this issue. I refer to the situation where, because it is under pressure from the mass, popular support for the Palestinians, the Government likes to utter fine words, but refuses to take any action because it does not wish to rock the boat in terms of its relationship with US imperialism.

The Government's argument about the ICC is utterly empty and cynical. It is that we do not need to make a referral of Israel to the court, like we did with Russia, because sure there is already an investigation under way. The Government, though, absolutely knows that this is an investigation that has been under way since 2021, that deals with all war crimes going back to 2014 and that has not produced a single, tangible result to date. The Government knows we need a new referral focused on the current crisis and on the genocide and ethnic cleansing being carried out by Israel today. If the Government needs a model for referral, then we can provide that to it.

There is a very extensive referral, which I and hundreds of representatives around the world have signed and which details the various crimes against humanity, the war crimes and the crime of genocide being committed by Israel. This referral specifically refers Netanyahu, Yoav Galant and other Israeli cabinet ministers to the ICC for investigation, citing specific instances of these crimes and citing statements by Israeli ministers and military officers inciting genocide and war crimes. It is open for people to sign publicly.

The people can see the contrast between the underfunding and foot-dragging on the ICC investigation into the situation in Gaza and the speedy investigation of Russia for war crimes in Ukraine, including the issuing of an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes in March this year. That is despite the fact that the situation in Ukraine was only referred to the ICC in March 2022, long after the investigation into Palestine had supposedly already started. Look at the contrast between the speed of 38 states, including Ireland, referring the situation in Ukraine to the ICC within a month of the war breaking out and the reluctance and refusal of the Irish Government to do this. The Irish Government says openly that the ICC should investigate but refuses to actually make it happen. When Ireland referred the situation in Ukraine to the ICC last year the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, said the referral "will enable the prosecutor to immediately begin his investigation", because under ICC rules if there is a referral from member states, the prosecutor does not have to get the approval of ICC judges before opening an investigation. Why does the Government not apply the same logic to the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the people of Gaza? Is it because Israel is a US ally and Russia is not?

I wanted to quickly address the excuse for not expelling the Israeli ambassador. The excuse for not expelling the ambassador is that we need to get our citizens home. It has been over a month now. The Government is not telling the truth to people. The truth is very clear for anyone who looks at the numbers. Hundreds and hundreds of citizens of other countries have now been allowed out of Gaza by Israel and the Irish citizens in Gaza are being held hostage by the Israeli state. That is right now, when we have these supposedly great diplomatic relations. Citizens of Ireland, and of Brazil, are being punished for the very mild words of criticism by the Irish Government and the vote for a ceasefire at the UN.

This is a moment when the contrast between the attitudes of ordinary people in the West and the attitudes of their leaders is so great. There is a massive gulf between them. Millions of people are mobilising internationally for peace, for justice for Palestine and for liberation for the Palestinian people while most rulers support the oppression and the genocide, or in Ireland's case, criticise with words but refuse to take any action. This is a moment when mass mobilisation can make a difference. Look at the forced sacking of Suella Braverman, linked to the pressure from below. Look at Macron being forced to call for a ceasefire, linked to the pressure from below. We have to put as much pressure on this Government as possible and continue the thousands of emails coming in to say there must be a referral to the International Criminal Court and that the Israeli ambassador must be expelled. There should be thousands of people outside the Dáil tomorrow, Wednesday, at 6 p.m.

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