Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I welcome everyone in the Public Gallery, and I welcome the ambassador into the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. It is great to see Zak Hania home. I am delighted he got back and that he and his family are here today. As has been said by many Members, it is a positive and historic move, and an advance that we have recognised the Palestinian state today and are flying the flag. Maybe the Ceann Comhairle could answer later, but is the intention to keep the flag flying, like the Ukraine flag has flown for the past two years? It is important that we show that solidarity for as long as this genocide continues and Palestine is occupied. What we have done is brilliant, but it has been done on the back of a movement that has overtaken society in all countries across the world in an outstanding display of solidarity, support, anger and determination to free the Palestinian people. However, let us not forget that on Sunday Israel murdered dozens of children and women in the most brutal way. As its genocide intensifies, we need to do more than raise a flag.

I want to talk about the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign that the Irish State needs to take hold of and impose. It has been mentioned but is worth reiterating that every year the State pays almost €300,000 to an Israeli company called Aeronautics Defense Systems, which maintains our drones. It is also the company that makes the drones that drop bombs on the children of Palestine. Why is the Government fast-tracking 100 visas for Israeli engineers to fly here to work with Intel, while Palestinians fleeing the genocide have to sleep in tents along the canal and then have them taken from them? There is a huge disparity between what we say and what we do. It is high time we implemented sanctions, boycott and divestment. People mention the Dunnes Stores strike as an example, which is an important one, but they were on strike for three years before the Government copped on, did the right thing and brought in legislation to boycott South African goods and vegetables. Let us not do this to the people of Gaza. Let us act soon.

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