Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

America has been at war, in the form of troops on the ground, air strikes, drone assassination missions, bloody and violent occupations and illegal covert special operations, almost non-stop since the Vietnam War in more than half a century of bloodshed, terror and violence. In recent years, the Americans have invaded more than 20 countries without United Nations sanction, thereby breaching international law. However, Ireland supports them at every turn and the hypocrisy is frightening. It is not long ago since Members were absolutely shocked by the beheadings carried out by the Islamic State, which are shocking. However, when the Minister went on a trade mission to Saudi Arabia, I asked him whether he had raised the issue of human rights and he replied that trade missions are not the place to raise human rights issues effectively. We appear to have no problem with the fact that an average of 20 beheadings per month take place in Saudi Arabia but yet, we support United States-led sanctions against Russia, which are damaging our own agriculture trade. Can the Minister please explain the basis of this double standard?

In addition, at the International Atomic Energy Agency conference, a vote will be taken tomorrow on a draft resolution from 18 Arab nations that proposes to compel Israel to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. How mad is it that Israel has never signed up to this? As Ireland voted against this resolution last year, how does the Government intend to vote this time? Israel's recent campaign of collective punishment against the people of Gaza, in which more than 500 children were killed, is nothing short of a genocide. Ireland's decision to abstain from the vote on the Human Rights Council resolution setting up a commission of inquiry into Gaza was a betrayal of these innocent people. Why do we stay silent on the issue of Gaza?

See this speech in context