Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The horrors Israel has been committing in Gaza since October are frankly indescribable. I think I speak for most people when I say we watch TV screens and we cannot believe what we are watching because of the utter barbarity of it and also the fact nobody is doing anything to stop it. The civilian population of Gaza have been subject to the most depraved, indiscriminate bombing campaign in modern times. Not satisfied with bombing babies, women, children and other civilians in their beds, killing over 25,000 people in just over three months, Israel has destroyed the hospitals and the entire healthcare system in Gaza, ensuring there is no help coming for these people. It has also inflicted untold pain and suffering on the population through its various methods of collective punishment, denying people access to water, hygiene, aid and displacing 85% of the population. Israel is bombing hospitals, schools and refugee camps and these are war crimes and that is a fact.

It has been pointed out previously that Ireland was very forthright in its support for the Ukrainian case against Russia at the ICJ in 2022, and rightly so. At the time, the then foreign Minister, Deputy Coveney, said "As a party to the Genocide Convention and a strong defender of the international rules-based system, Ireland has a strong interest in ensuring that the Convention is properly interpreted and applied". Again, rightly so, but why do the same rules not apply to Palestine? Why the naked hypocrisy, cowardice and meekness from so-called world leaders who choose to look the other way while Israel commits the most evil of war crimes daily? Why, when South Africa took a stand against Israel did others, including our Government, not follow its example? Why did the Tánaiste say last night that the Government would review matters? Does he think the people of Palestine have time to wait around while he dithers? Does he not see what we see every single day happening before our eyes, namely, the slaughter of the Palestinian people by Israel? We cannot stand idly by and watch a country committing war crimes before our eyes. We need to support the South African case and anything less is utter hypocrisy and cowardice. I keep thinking all through this conflict that if I was a Minister in government or a member of Government who was watching this and deciding not to act, how would I explain that to future generations and even grandchildren?

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