Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The omission from the motion of the word "ceasefire" is a lesson in political semantics that shows how disingenuous the motion is. Language is absolutely important when it is all we have, and that is thanks to the enormous lack of meaningful action. That anyone in this House would be unsure as to whether Netanyahu and his government are in the process of committing genocide is absolutely ridiculous. After the slaughter of 25,000 Palestinians, 10,000 of them children, the injury of 62,000 more and the displacement of 1.9 million, how can anyone be unsure of the amoral guilt of Netanyahu and his government? I am not sure what level of proof of the genocide this Government needs. I think that if Netanyahu were to arrive at the Tánaiste's office to tell him he was committing genocide, he would still sit there with a wait-and-see attitude for the judgement on South Africa’s case. Wait and see for what - the complete eradication of the Palestinian people from the face of this earth?

The Government’s refusal to take any meaningful action on the atrocities Israel is committing in Palestine is an act of complicity - end of - which, given this nation’s history of occupation and subjugation, is shameful. The decision as to whether to join South Africa’s case goes beyond supporting Palestine. This nation has a history of siding with the oppressed rather than the oppressor and, despite the many emotive words of shock and horror coming from this House, Ireland has sided with the oppressor.

I listened with intent to the Taoiseach's comments during Leaders' Questions in respect of the Attorney General, who will travel to The Hague in person, but not until 22 February. It should not have to be said this level of injustice we have been witnessing requires immediate action, with no more of the wait-and-see. Regretful complicity is still complicity, and future generations will remember the Government for what it did not do while children lay dying on the other side of the world.

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