Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

People often speculate about what they would have done in Nazi Germany or in the 1930s. The answer is that whatever you are doing now is what you would have done then. The Minister of State is in government and has power. I thank the Labour Party for moving this motion. I do not agree with every word it contains, however. There is no global community. That has been utterly exposed. Imperialism has been laid absolutely bare during this horrific genocide. The only global community is the Palestine solidarity movement and the ordinary people who have taken to the streets for 20 months.

We need to translate words into deeds. Yesterday, I asked the Taoiseach to act unilaterally. We cannot wait for a review by the EU of the EU-Israel association agreement. The EU has exported €53 million in arms to Israel since the genocide began in 2023. It is Israel’s biggest trading partner. The Taoiseach questioned the point of acting alone on the basis that it would not be effective. Action by one can be an example for others.

Ireland also has a huge amount of trade with Israel. Ireland imported the second highest amount of Israeli goods, totalling €3.2 billion, which is a significant amount for our economy. Ireland's exports to Israel totalled €500 million, €97 million of which was dual-use goods that can be used to assist in the genocide against the people of Gaza. That should be stopped. The Government stopped it quick enough for Russia regarding its illegal invasion of Ukraine. In the context of Shannon Airport and Irish airspace, it would be a significant inconvenience if imperialist powers, which are assisting in the genocide in Gaza, could not use, refuel or stop over at Shannon Airport or if the planes landing there were inspected. All of the evidence has been given. I call on the Government to cease all trade with Israel, freeze all Israeli assets in this State, just like it did with Russia, and issue a travel ban against Israeli people in this State and those businesspeople who are assisting the genocide.

The Government could help people medically or provide asylum to the spouses of citizens. For example, I am trying to assist a constituent whose wife, a doctor, stayed on in Nasser Hospital. We saw what happened to one doctor in recent days. Imagine nine of your children being targeted and killed by the Israeli state. The doctor to whom I refer, Dr. Banan Albatta, stayed to help people because of her social obligation.

The Government is delaying and watering down the occupied territories Bill. Let us cut the crap. The Bill has been there since 2019. I remember being in the Dáil at the time and Fianna Fáil coming in talking about the occupied territories Bill. Six years later, it has decided to delay matters when it could have a workable Bill. It is taking away 75% of the effectiveness and strength of that Bill. The time for talk is over. We need action and we need it now.

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