Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have one point to make regarding the conversations that have been happening in the wings of this House and in respect of the business before us. The previous Seanad passed the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018, which was measured legislation that was designed to fly a flag against the creeping annexation of the West Bank by settlers encouraged by the Netanyahu Government. We were frustrated at every angle in progressing it. We were told the Bill would breach EU law. At a later stage, when it got to Dáil Éireann, the Members of that House were told it was a measure that required a money message from the Government, which was an entirely spurious foot trip of the legislation. I have one point to make in this regard. Those of us who supported the Bill, and there was support for it right across this House at the time, were making a stance against the circumstances that were leading to the hatred that is destroying the Middle East. We were standing up for the rule of international law. We were not helped by the Government because it was afraid of being seen as an outlier on the issue at EU level. Much more offensive than that was that an official of the Netanyahu Government called those of us who supported the measure in this House anti-Semites. The ambassador was called in for a dressing down. We do not know what excuses were offered or whether the Israelis were given an assurance the Bill would be allowed to die, which it has been. People should look back to what happened. The Government should look back to what it did not do. The European Union, by its failure to act and take proper stances, has contributed to the hatred and despair that have brought us to the abyss we now see in the Middle East.