Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking on behalf of the Independent Group. As we speak, Israel is assaulting the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, a city it previously declared as a safe zone for refugees. This is not the first atrocity we have seen Israel commit since it invaded Gaza and it will not be the last. It is just one of the many atrocities against civilians we have witnessed, and will witness, as the Israeli state wages war against the captive, starving civilian population of Gaza. To my mind, it is clear now that what we are witnessing is genocide. We are a signatory of the Genocide Convention. We have a legal obligation to prevent genocide. More than that, we have a moral obligation to do everything we can to prevent the annihilation of Gaza and its people. That, to my mind, is exactly what we are witnessing.

When South Africa's case was heard by the International Court of Justice, the Taoiseach called it complex and a far from clear-cut case of genocide, excusing why this Government has failed in its legal and moral duty to prevent genocide by joining the case. I will describe what the Israeli Government thinks of its own campaign of murder and destruction, through the calls to genocide from the Israeli Government and army. On 12 October, the President of Israel said:

It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible. This rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved, it’s absolutely not true.

On 28 October, Benjamin Netanyahu stated:

You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember.

He was referencing the total destruction of Amalek by the Israelites and the Bible passage that reads "Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings". On 7 October, the deputy speaker of the Knesset said, "Now we all have one common goal - erasing the Gaza Strip from the face of the Earth." On 9 October, the Minister of Defence said, "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly." On 1 November, the Minister of Heritage said the north of the Gaza Strip is more beautiful than ever. Everything is blown up and flattened, simply a pleasure for the eyes. On 11 November, the Minister of Agriculture said, "We are now rolling out the Gaza Nakba." On 9 October, the Israeli army Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said "no electricity, no water, just damage. You wanted hell, you will get hell". On 12 October an Israeli army major-general said, "The State of Israel has no choice but to turn Gaza into a place where it is temporarily or permanently impossible to live in."

That is what the Israeli Government and army are saying. The Israeli Government and army have been calling for genocide since day one. They have publicly and openly said it and the Irish Government is ignoring it. To my understanding, it is a clear case of genocide. It is staring the Government in the face and it is refusing to do all it can to stop it. One of the things it can do is to recognise the state of Palestine and another is signalling its support for the South African application. We have obviously done a lot of work already, considering the case is before the International Criminal Court and the fact the Attorney General is going over in February. We have enough of the work done.

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