Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Last week, I asked the Government to pass the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 and organise the boycott of goods produced in occupied Palestinian territories. These are goods stained with the blood of the Palestinian people. However, the Government has doubled down in opposition to taking such a step. It falls, therefore, to the organised workers' movement to take the initiative.

I call on them to do so. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions should build on the historic example of the Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strike and issue a clear call for the blacking of companies who profit from the occupation, including those who export military goods or dual-use goods to Israel. These are companies such as Airbnb, Tripadvisor, JCB, Puma and others. A workers' boycott would be a tremendous act of solidarity with the Palestinian people whose general strike this week inspired trade unionists all over the world. Nor would it be, in any sense, directed against the interests of Israeli Jewish workers, a considerable number of whom engaged in acts of solidarity with Palestinian workmates who faced physical threats in recent weeks.

The Minister's inaction and that of his Government is a disgrace. It is time now for the workers' movement to act.

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