Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Over the past week, throughout the world, the 75th anniversary of the Nakba has been marked, including by the UN for the first time. This was not simply the marking of an historic event; it was also marking every day of those 75 years, 75 years of rights and justice being denied to the Palestinian people, 75 years of Israeli aggression, 75 years of disregard for international law. What separates the Nakba from other catastrophes is that it is not simply an historic event - it remains the day-to-day lived reality for those forcibly displaced, including those displaced from the 351 villages completely destroyed. The Nakba is very much a lived reality for the families of those 148 Palestinians, including 23 children, killed by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers so far this year alone.

Every day, Israeli disregard for international law continues. Last week was the first anniversary of the brutal murder of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. It was not an isolated incident and she is just one of 20 journalists killed by Israeli forces in 22 years, and yet Israel continues and the world stays silent. In the past month, we have had Israel demolishing an EU-funded Palestinian school near Bethlehem and another 100 schools are under threat of a similar fate, and yet Israel continues and the world stays silent. In the past week, we have seen the approval of another 1,000 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank, settlements that are illegal under international law, and yet Israel continues and the world stays silent. For 75 years, Israel has continued to act with impunity. As with every other apartheid regime, Israel will continue to do so until the world lifts it silence. As with every other apartheid regime, pressure from the international community is required. It was international pressure and action that led to the downfall of apartheid South Africa and so it will be only through international pressure that we will see the end to Israeli apartheid.

This House, of course, cannot force the whole world to action today but we can lead the way - Ireland can lead the way. I commend Deputy John Brady on bringing forward this Bill, which will compel the Irish Government to divest holdings in companies currently listed as operating within the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Bill does not interfere with EU competencies or treaties; it simply puts our words into simple action. It says that the Irish people will play no hand, act or part in Israeli war crimes. The Bill, when passed, will just be a cog in the wheel of the international pressure required to end Israeli apartheid.

We have had 75 years of the Nakba, which is a shameful indictment on the international community, but we have also had 75 years of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Progressive people all over the world have stood up for the rights of Palestinian people, none more so than the Irish people, who can proudly say that we have always been on the right side of history on this matter. We in Ireland, with our own history of colonialism and oppression, know that we have an obligation to support those who suffer those injustices today. The Palestinian people need that support now more than ever. This Bill is an important opportunity for us to show our support again. I commend it to the House.

See this speech in context