Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I also want to particularly welcome the South African delegation to remind the Taoiseach of a very particular relationship that exists between this country, South Africa and Palestine. We had the first version of apartheid with the penal laws. These were systematic discrimination which contributed very substantially to the Famine in this country. The people of South Africa struggled against a similar system of apartheid that had cruel consequences for the majority of the population and they overcame it. The South African Parliament recognises its responsibility to the Palestinian people to call out the apartheid behaviour of Israel in its treatment of the Palestinians. It may be of interest to the Taoiseach to know that earlier this year the South African Parliament downgraded its diplomatic relations with Israel because of that country's shocking treatment of the Palestinians.

As I have said, the UN and many other bodies are now saying Israel has no intention of ending its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. To be honest, the Taoiseach's earlier response is incredibly disappointing in that regard. No serious person believes that Israel is going to dismantle the apartheid system voluntarily. South Africa recognises that and we have a particular responsibility to recognise it, given our history. There was an appeal from the UN special committee on this for Ireland to play a very particular role and show responsibility in calling out the apartheid system and the war crimes of Israel on Palestine.

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