John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister mentions the new US Government and US President, who will take office in January. Nevertheless we are seeing a ratcheting up of illegal settlements and just this week we have seen tenders approved for 1,200 illegal settlements in north Bethlehem. This week, ten families have been ejected from their homes to allow for military manoeuvres in the West Bank. It is a systematic attempt to destroy any prospects of a two-state solution.

We can consider planning, particularly in area C of the occupied territories, where only 2% of planning permission applications are granted by Israel. At the same time we have seen the systematic destruction of homes, schools and other humanitarian infrastructure. It has gone well beyond the point of issuing statements of condemnation or speaking quietly in the ear of the Israeli ambassador. Now is the time to take action.

This Sunday marks the UN day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. We need to express solidarity but Palestinians need to see definitive action. Ireland can take the lead by having a strategy of confronting the illegal actions of the Israeli state. We can start by issuing a compensation bill for the demolition of settlements.

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