Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom cinneadh Lucht Oibre and Fine Gael gan rún Shinn Féin a shéanadh a moladh. Tá súil agam go dtiocfaidh aitheantas oifigiúil ar an Stáit Palaistíneach go sciobtha. Tá súil agam freisin go mbeidh an Rialtas níos sásta éisteacht le smaointe an freasúra as seo amach. Both Houses of the Oireachtas are united in this demand and the Government will not oppose it. There is now a real opportunity to build on Ireland's strong record of solidarity with the people of Palestine and after tonight we can much more ambitious for our role in their future.

Last night, the Minister of State stated that it has been the position in Europe, supported by the current and previous governments, that the recognition of the state of Palestine should be dependent on a comprehensive peace agreement, as a Palestinian state cannot exist without the ending of the Israeli occupation. This is a crucial point, and it sets out a fundamental flaw in the EU's position on the right of the people of Palestine to have their state recognised.

Israel will not end its occupation in the absence of sufficient international pressure to do so. As the Minister of State acknowledged last night, Israel's construction of illegal settlements is relentless. The people of Gaza are on their knees. Israel's aggression in Jerusalem and beyond has escalated. More recently, extreme Israeli nationalism has come to the fore in expressing itself in the most depressing manner as citizens openly dehumanise their Palestinian neighbours.

The Government needs to have more confidence in Ireland's ability to lead in Europe. It is deeply troubling that Ministers believe that by speaking up in Europe on matters of such importance we will marginalise or weaken our position in the EU. Last night, the Minister of State told us that we can only push the envelope if we are inside it. That analysis is nonsense, as nobody is pushing the envelope in an EU-wide context.

The international community has failed the Palestinian people for decades and the Government's failure to respond appropriately to Israel's latest barbaric assault on Gaza, a densely populated small tract of land blockaded from the rest of the world, has only helped to destabilise the region further. Waiting for someone else to lead is no longer an option. Ireland has a moral obligation to speak out. By leading on issues of human rights and against what is an apartheid regime we can tread where others must follow. Recognition of Palestine is the critical first step in ensuring that the state of Palestine is not only formally established but that it will be functioning in the future. People need to see and feel the change to believe in it.

How on earth can we the international community expect people living in an apartheid state for generations believe us when we say we will recognise their right to a state of their own, but only when Israel says so? This is not a coherent strategy on the part of the European Union. It is another failure of EU politics, a failure that we should no longer accept. It is now time to lead by example. We cannot stand idly by on these issues. We cannot outsource our moral responsibility to a paralysed EU. We cannot surrender what is left of our democratic independence. To do so would be to squander the goodwill and influence that has been built up by dozens of Irish generations. Independence is only real when it is exercised.

The Government must be confident in Ireland's commitment to human rights, to democracy and to peace. We cannot be afraid to stand up against oppression, against the violent military blockade of Gaza and against the apartheid regime that exists across Israel. Recognition of the Palestinian state is a strong signal of solidarity, of a peaceful future and a commitment to human rights. Tá súil agam anois go mbeidh gníomhaíochtaí ag teacht ón Rialtas mar gheall ar an gceist tábhachtach seo agus nach mbeimid ag fanacht go deo sa Teach seo le haghaidh aitheantas an stáit Pailaistíneach.

See this speech in context