Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am in agreement with an awful lot of what has been said. I think all Members accept that war crimes are happening and that is what Israel is doing. This is an especially right-wing Israeli Government, which has attacked its own judiciary. I consider Benjamin Netanyahu a charlatan surrounded by supremacists. Horrific acts were carried out by Hamas but we do not know where the Israeli regime is going to stop. We fear how far it will go regarding ethnic cleansing and genocide. Some in the regime have been very clear about how they see the Palestinian people. Some have made clear they want to see a greater Israel. There has always been an element, even among Zionists, that was far more right-wing and militaristic and much more in favour of a greater Israel, as it is known. We could be in that position at this point.

I think we all accept that certain countries in the EU come from a different place as a result of the horrors that occurred during the Holocaust. I do not accept in any way, shape or form that past mistakes are a good enough cause to allow present mistakes or give any sort of okay to genocide. At this stage, more than 10,000 Palestinians, many of them children, are dead. That is before we talk about the aid workers, the medics and all the people who have been brutally slaughtered by the Israeli regime.

What are we going to do? I have no difficulty with engaging with like-minded countries to put something on the agenda that will draw the world's attention to the fact that this is unacceptable. We know the various plays that were used to make a difference in South Africa. There were multiple elements involved but the financial pressures placed on the South African regime were a huge factor. The regime was made to feel, as it should have been, that apartheid was utterly unacceptable. Regular South African whites felt that on the international stage and it had an impact. Trading companies and others were told they could not operate outside the country, so the regime needed to jettison apartheid.

We need apartheid to be jettisoned in Israel. Beyond that, we need the slaughter to be called out for what it is. We need condemnation. What are our conversations with European and international partners? When will we make the necessary moves to recognise the state of Palestine? We can go ahead with the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill because it relates to requiring the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, not to fund companies that are involved in illegal occupation. We need to push the boat out with the occupied territories Bill. We need to ensure our voice is heard. We all want a ceasefire and hostages released. Humanitarian aid is also needed because thousands of people facing absolute starvation and slaughter. We need to do more. We need to deal with those who will deal with us and if others will not deal with us, we have to take the first step on our own. It is as simple as that.

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