Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, I should acknowledge the various Government TDs who have engaged with Sadaka. I refer to Deputies Higgins, Costello and Haughey and many others. This demonstrates the strength of feeling on the Government benches, which often goes unacknowledged.

Since I last spoke on the Palestinian situation, there has been an unacceptable deterioration and a catastrophic human disaster. Some 24,000 are dead and 1.9 million are displaced. There has been significant destruction of housing and infrastructure and famine is imminent. There is no doubt that, unfortunately and unacceptably, the international community has for decades allowed Israel's breaches of UN resolutions go unchecked. It is important to say that Ireland has never been party to that. Ireland's leadership on this issue is not being questioned internationally. Our position is clear and Israel knows it. Ireland, my party and I condemn the ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel. We have said it over and over again. In fact, we were one of the first countries in the world to say it. There must be an immediate ceasefire. We want unhindered access for humanitarian aid. Beyond Gaza, we condemn the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and the Israeli announcements of funding for illegal settlements, a further breach of international law. We also demand the immediate and unconditional release of hostages held by armed groups in Gaza and the cessation of indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into Israel. That is what a ceasefire is.

Ireland is monitoring what is happening at the ICJ. I refer not only to the South African case, but also to the other cases and investigations regarding Palestine. I welcome the Taoiseach's clarification that Ireland has submitted a strong, robust and substantial legal opinion to the international court and that, in February, the Attorney General will give Ireland's oral submission in the ICJ case. We know that third-party state interventions in such cases can only take place after the court has made its order. It is clear that Ireland will examine the judgment when it is made. That cannot be done before the order is issued and others in this House know that. The case for genocide cannot be won as you would prosecute an argument in a political debating chamber. It is a legal charge and needs legal argument. I am confident that Ireland will not stand by when that judgment is issued and there is an opportunity to act, just as the Irish people have not stood by and just as we did in respect of Ukraine.

See this speech in context