Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)

I echo my colleagues' sentiments and statements on this. The people of Gaza do not have time left for this Government's dithering and delaying on the implementation of the occupied territories Bill. Seventeen thousand children have been murdered in Gaza by the Israeli genocidal regime. Right now, millions of people in Gaza are being starved to death. They are being shot and murdered while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families. Each day that passes while Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael drag their feet on implementing the occupied territories Bill is another day of lost opportunity for Ireland to be a global leader for humanity by sanctioning Israel. Each day the Government makes more excuses, waters down the Bill and fails to implement it in full, including services, is another day lost when Ireland could be taking real action.

Real action would be passing the occupied territories Bill in full. This would send a strong clear message to Israel. It is a message it has not heard, that there are consequences for the war crimes and the genocidal hell it is unleashing on the people of Gaza. This is the problem. We fail to see countries having the courage to stand up to Israel and it is a shame and a stain on our collective humanity that Israel has not been sanctioned by any European country for its mass murder of women and children in Gaza. What a collective failure of the European project of peace and solidarity.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael committed in their programme for Government 160 days ago to progress legislation on the occupied Palestinian territories. That is 160 opportunities they have had to implement the Bill and they have not done so. This is despite the people of Ireland giving them a clear message in the election and every day outside the Dáil and on our streets that they want Ireland to stand up for peace and humanity by sanctioning Israel. We cannot wait for our European partners in this. We must stand up now for the people of Gaza. Ireland must be courageous and sanction Netanyahu's murderous, genocidal regime. Ireland must give hope to the idea of universal human rights, that every person on this planet has an equal right to a dignified life. Palestinians, the people of Gaza have as equal a right to life and dignity as everyone else on this planet.

What have the people of Ireland made clear? When asked whether Israel's ongoing military action in Gaza amounts to genocide, 86% of people polled said "Yes". When asked whether the EU should suspend trade with Israel, 76% of Irish people polled said "Yes". When asked whether the occupied territories Bill should be passed, 74% of those polled said "Yes". The Government's mandate is there and this is a critical juncture in our international humanity's history. The Government needs to pass the Bill before the summer recess. The latest United Nations report names hundreds of corporations, banks, technology firms, universities, pension funds and charities that are profiting from the Israeli occupation and genocide. The report details how Israel's economy has transformed from an economy of settler occupation to an economy of genocide. Ireland can no longer participate, engage with, legitimise or fund this economy. It is time to pass the occupied territories Bill in full.

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