Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Earlier this month the Israeli ambassador to Ireland stated, "The clear line between supporting Palestinians and becoming anti-Israeli is a thin one and unfortunately one that is being crossed all too often." What he did not say was that Palestinians were living under the tyranny of a brutal apartheid state. They are suffering and dying every day at the hands of the Israeli Administration, its military and settlers in the illegally occupied territories. The Bill by Senator Black, in attempting to uphold and, in a small way, enforce international law, acknowledges the right to exist of the Palestinian people and other oppressed peoples of an occupied land. Since the brutality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine has driven the Palestinian people to the point where merely existing is their greatest act of resistance, acknowledgment by Ireland that this is a gross violation of international human rights law would provide valuable moral support for the people of Palestine.

The Israeli Administration does not hear the voices of Palestinians or anyone else calling for equality. The ambassador says we are dealing with a complex issue. We are not. It is about equality, human rights and dignity. In the actions of the Israeli Administration we see the most sustained violations of the principles of law. If the Palestinians appeal to the United Nations or the International Criminal Court, the Israelis call it diplomatic terrorism. Peaceful protest is terrorism. Every form of resistance is terrorism. Even the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and its supporters are smeared by the Israeli lobby as supporters of terrorism.

The Bill has been designed to uphold international law and impose a modest economic penalty on anyone who uses force and violence to steal and occupy another people's recognised territory. This is being called extremism by Israel's representative in Ireland. Standing up for human rights is anti-Semitic if those humans are being killed by Israelis. The claim of anti-Semitism is used as a tool not just against people with whom the Israelis do not agree but also against people such as Mr. Jeremy Corbyn. If it was genuinely concerned, I imagine the Israeli Administration might stop selling weapons to openly anti-Semite neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine.

I listened to the Tánaiste's speech and do not accept it. He said trade was an integral part of the European Union. Yes, it is, but there is more to life than trade. He stated that if the Bill was passed, Ireland would be found to be in breach of EU law. Spain, Germany, Austria, France and Italy have all broken the 3% law in recent years, but none of them has paid a fine. What about the fact that Israel is in breach of international law? Does this matter? Is it a factor?

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