Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Israel must stop its massacre in Gaza. There can be absolutely no equivocation on this matter. What is described in the motion is mass slaughter, the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, the displacement of millions of people, starvation and the destruction of hospitals and schools. It describes the very markers of genocidal actions – a blatant attempt to wipe out Palestinians, seize Gaza and enforce a second Nakba.

The question relating to the need for sanctions against the State of Israel has been answered without a shadow of a doubt. Israel must be sanctioned. Yet, in this motion, the Government proposes to impose sanctions against illegal settlers alone. It seeks to differentiate Israel from illegal settlements. Have we slipped into some alternate universe? These illegal, violent settlers who attack and displace Palestinians are armed, supported and enabled by Israel. It is state policy. They are part of Israel’s colonial strategy to annex Palestinian lands. The accountable party is the State of Israel, which continues to act with impunity. Despite all of the Tánaiste's rhetoric to the contrary, the motion demonstrates no seriousness about sanctioning illegal actions and breaches of international law.

Netanyahu is telling the world explicitly what his aims are. The Government needs to listen to him and to what he is saying, and then there needs to be an appropriate, proportionate and definitive response.

We are all conversant with the process of the International Court of Justice.

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