Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The European Council continues to be entirely impotent when it comes to the genocidal actions of Israel and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. The Council's conclusions do not even mention the word "Israel". One would think Israel was not even involved and that it was not the party to have smashed the ceasefire and resumed the bombardment of the Palestinians, and indeed of another sovereign state in Lebanon. Ireland must lead the way when it comes to standing up for human rights and against the vengeful slaughter of more than 50,000 people, many if not most of whom were women and children.

There must be a ban on all trade, including services, with Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. Occupiers must not be allowed to legitimise that occupation through trade, not to mention profiting from it. The occupied territories Bill is not something that can be dangled before the electorate to win votes. If this Government does not immediately move to pass the Bill, it would be cynical in the extreme and worse, it would make us complicit in and party to genocide. Back in 2020 we saw the ramping up of the annexation of the West Bank when President Trump was due to leave office. We have seen a similar increase in aggression now that he has been returned. It falls to Ireland and the wider European community to be a bulwark to crimes against humanity. Toothless conclusions from the Council are not enough. We cannot shrug our shoulders and ask what else we can do.

By contrast with the conclusion on Ukraine in particular, the EU has no plan or intention to rein in genocide within touching distance of the Union’s borders. The measures outlined regarding sanctions on Russia are a justified and appropriate response to its illegal invasion of Ukraine, but it could be asked why such measures have not been considered for use against Israel in its war of aggression, which has been going on for almost 80 years. There is a glaring contrast with the call on member states to urgently step up efforts to address Ukraine’s pressing military and defence needs. We will funnel weapons into Ukraine while standing back and shaking our heads when it comes to the Palestinian people. I am not calling for weapons to be sent to Gaza. An arms race between both sides in any conflict only serves to deepen and prolong it. However, it highlights the difference in our level of concern about the two conflicts.

The Israeli government is committed to making it impossible for the Palestinian people to maintain a viable homeland. It respects no international laws or norms as it pursues a policy of scorched earth by tearing up all that the Palestinian people have built, homes and businesses included. It is time for the Government to give a strong and unambiguous statement there can be no impunity for Israel’s mass killing of Palestinians and its continued illegal occupation of Palestine.

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