Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the Government's decision to recognise the state of Palestine. The Social Democrats have long called for the Government to match its strong words on the carnage in Gaza with action, and this is a powerful move which sends a commanding message. That message is one of hope, peace, justice and freedom for an imprisoned Palestinian people being massacred by a brutal occupier. I also pay tribute to the many tens of thousands of Irish people who have fought for the Government to take this step every weekend in every corner of the country. In cities, towns, villages and college campuses, people have marched in support of the Palestinian people and demanded an end to the ongoing genocide. The Irish people's solidarity with the Palestinian people is unbreakable. It is long past time that this solidarity was formally acknowledged by our Government with recognition of the state of Palestine. My only wish is that it happened sooner.

It is now eight months into this conflict, with nearly 130,000 Palestinians having been killed, maimed or gone missing, presumed dead, under mountains of rubble. The scale of death and devastation is truly horrifying. That so much of the western world has turned a blind eye to this carnage is shameful and shocking. These same countries will criticise Ireland, Spain and Norway for the action they have taken today. Their hollow criticisms have no credibility. Any country which provides weapons being used to slaughter 15,000 children has abandoned not only the rule of law but any shred of moral authority.

The Israeli ambassador has been recalled to Israel. All I can say to that is "Good". Her presence at our Famine commemoration at the weekend, while Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, was grotesque. Ireland should not be facilitating apologists for genocide.

After many months of inaction, international institutions are finally beginning to act. Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. The UN Security Council has issued a resolution calling for a ceasefire and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Hamas leaders and the Israeli Prime Minister and defence minister. Here in Ireland, we must continue to increase the pressure on Israel to end this war.

I commend the Government on recognising the state of Palestine. Will the Government now take the next step and enact the occupied territories Bill and the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill and commit to enforcing any ICC warrants against the leadership of Israel and Hamas?

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