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

I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 1:

After "also condemns the killing of children and civilians", to insert "by Israel".

I thank the People Before Profit Deputies for bringing this important motion before the Dáil and giving us another opportunity to debate the issues.

Words matter, especially when actions seemingly will not be taken. In the context of the horrendous savagery we have seen unfold in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel over the past six and a half weeks, the official words of Ireland matter. It was important that this Parliament was among the first in the world to call for a ceasefire - a full unequivocal ceasefire - and that it repeats that call at every opportunity. The Taoiseach's words were important when he correctly acknowledged that Israeli actions of cutting off power, fuel and water supplies constitute collective punishment. Words were important when our President, Michael D. Higgins, told the world clearly that Ursula von der Leyen did not speak for Ireland when she endorsed Israeli breaches of international law. It was important when the Tánaiste rightly stated that the Israeli assault on Gaza contravenes the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, under which the concepts and principles of necessity and proportionality are key. Words were especially important when the Taoiseach stated that ongoing Israeli atrocities cannot be without consequence.

Irish words matter, not more than but as much as those of anybody else. It would be much better if those words were matched by actions and if the Taoiseach or Tánaiste could point to a single consequence Israel will face for its barbaric and brutal attacks against the people of Palestine. Every possible consequence that has been proposed in the Dáil has been dismissed. Economic sanctions are not possible, we were told, because they are an EU competency. We were informed that diplomatic sanctions would be counterproductive. Political sanctions, the Government says, can only be implemented at a multilateral level, while knowing full well that powerful forces will block any such move. When we proposed to refer to the International Criminal Court the deliberate targeting and killing of civilians, the deliberate targeting and destruction of hospitals and the denial of food and water to innocent men, women and children, the Government told us only last week there is no need for such action and that it would lead to a charge of politicising the court. The day after the Government rejected that call, South Africa and four other states made the referral. I have not seen anyone yet have the audacity to describe the country that knows more than anyone else about apartheid as having politicised the ICC. It is fair to say that South Africa knows the importance of international pressure being brought to bear to bring an end to oppressive and repugnant regimes. South Africans know words matter and they also know actions matter more.

I appeal again this morning to the Government to take action and show leadership. I ask it to tell the world that Ireland demands adherence to international law by every actor in every conflict and that it will condemn war crimes regardless of who commits them. If we do not get to the point just yet that actions are taken, which I hope we will, then words matter more than ever. The Government amendment to the motion from People Before Profit states that the Dáil "condemns the barbaric attack by Hamas on Israel on 7th October, in which 1,200 people were killed and at least 243 people were kidnapped". So say all of us. The amendment goes on to state that the Dáil "also condemns the killing of children and civilians". That is it, full stop. By whom are those killings being done? The Government has yet to condemn explicitly the actions of Israel through an official communiqué of this House. That is why the Sinn Féin amendment to the Government amendment is as simple as can be, proposing to insert two words, "by Israel", after the words "also condemns the killing of children and civilians". As I have just listened to the Tánaiste talking about the principled position of the Government, I expect it to support this very simple amendment. It should do so because words matter.

See this speech in context