Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise the ongoing brutal bombardment by Israel of Gaza and Lebanon, and I want to ask the Taoiseach about the occupied territories Bill. Over the last few days, I think we have all watched with great distress as Israel's actions have escalated still further to an even more horrific degree in Gaza and Lebanon. On Sunday morning, UNIFIL reported that 15 peacekeepers were injured in Lebanon following an attack by Israel upon them in apparent targeting of UN bases. These actions by Israel represent a serious breach of international law and of the agreement which has allowed UNIFIL to operate in Lebanon since the 1970s, for many decades. Our thoughts are with all those peacekeepers stationed in Lebanon, and in particular with members of our own Defence Forces and, of course, their families.

Of course, our thoughts are with the civilians of Gaza and Lebanon, who are being killed and maimed in their thousands by the Israeli regime. Some 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza in just over a year, 115 every day, and over recent days it has appeared that the Israeli Government is now intent on doing to Lebanon what it has done to Gaza.

There is horrific reporting from Sally Hayden today about the killing of 22 civilians in a village in northern Lebanon, an area hitherto untargeted. Those who have died include 12 women and two children. There was an especially horrific atrocity in recent days in northern Gaza, where we witnessed people being burned alive at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital following an Israeli attack. We know at least three have been killed and 40 injured. Médecins Sans Frontières reports that this is the seventh time Israel has bombed the hospital since March and the third time in a month. Most horrifying is the report of the death of a 19-year-old young man, engineering student Sha'ban Al-Dalou, who was burned alive in a hospital bed while hooked up to an IV drip.

Apparently, Washington has, at last, protested yesterday's atrocity to the Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, but that is simply not enough. As Israel continues its genocidal action in Gaza and now in Lebanon, burning civilians, attacking UN peacekeepers and attempting to evict UNRWA from the occupied territories, we now see the US government sending military personnel to help Israel. It is hard to see how the US can act as any sort of peace broker when it has formalised participation in the conflict despite these atrocities. The question is what we in Ireland can do about this. We must do more and take unilateral action, if necessary and we cannot get consensus elsewhere, to sanction Israel more effectively.

We hear today that the Government has received changed advice from the Attorney General on the occupied territories Bill. In opposition, we say there has never been a legal impediment to Ireland passing that Bill and the Government has been too cautious on this. It is reported that the Attorney General agrees with us that the threshold has been reached and, of course, the ICJ advisory opinion has changed the context. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has said it is a game-changer. I believe the Taoiseach said today that we are now not waiting on an EU consensus to act. Let us act now. Passing the Bill is the next step we must take. It would represent a real stand against Israel's genocidal actions. The Taoiseach would have the support of all in opposition in this House and the Upper House. Can the Taoiseach assure us, in the limited time left for this Government, that he will pass the occupied territories Bill to create a meaningful sanction against a regime that is intent on such horrific slaughter of civilians?

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