Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The ICJ ruling on South Africa's case was momentous and historic, with jurisdiction granted and conditions of plausible genocide accepted and Israel's attempt to have the case thrown out emphatically rejected. Israel remains on trial in the matter of the genocide of the Palestinian people. If the state of Israel was an ordinary criminal rather than alleged war criminal and was in front of any national court, it would essentially be out on bail with the world's warmongers putting up its bail bond.

I want to put on record the name of Irishwoman Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC, who presented part of South Africa's case, and how proud we are of her outstanding work. Yet, while the compassionate world held its breath for the interim order from the ICJ, an army of Israeli supporters was ready to press "Send" on the UNRWA disclosures. What gall they had with their timing, showing their naked calculation, slyness and cynicism, with more than 12,000 children massacred and whole families removed from the civil registry in Gaza.

I thank the Tánaiste for the position he took on the UNRWA funding and for the clear and unambiguous statement that he made on Ireland's behalf. Credit where credit is due. He did right. This not the time for equivocation. The lives of 2 million people depend on that aid. Ireland will not be part of any group that will consign the entire population of Gaza to what the ICJ considers plausible conditions of genocide. The evidence is there, evidence that puts America, Canada, the UK and most of the EU on the wrong side of history, and they will have questions to answer.

I also have a question for the media. Now that the ICJ has accepted and quoted the Gazan figures already annihilated by Israel, perhaps they might wonder why they refer to those murdered as Hamas-run health ministry figures? What are they afraid of? Too many journalists have been killed in Gaza. We cannot let journalism be murdered too. The ICJ interim findings have changed everything. We are all complicit unless we act now. Ireland must support South Africa against a deranged Israeli Administration high on slaughter and high on genocide. "Never again" is now; it is not in six months' time.

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