Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Agus muid ag labhairt anois, tá Flotilla Sumud le 40 bád ag teannadh ar chósta na Palaistíne agus treise leo. Tá mo chomhghleacaí an Seanadóir Chris Andrews san áireamh. Smaoinigh go bhfuil léigear Iosrael ar chathair Gaza ann le beagnach 20 bliain. Bhíos leis an Seanadóir Andrews agus daoine eile 17 bliain ó shin ar bhád eile a bhris an léigear sin ach tar éis dhá bliain d’ár, léirscrios leanúnach, cinedhíothú barbarach agus léigear níos daingne ar phobal, ar chathair agus ar cheantar Gaza, le breis agus 70,000 duine marbh agus na céadta mílte gortaithe agus stiúgtha le hocras, tá ár á dhéanamh ag Iosrael. Guím gach rath ar an bhflotilla agus guím síochán agus faoiseamh ar fhir, ar mhná agus ar pháistí na Palaistíne ón síorionsaí ó Iosrael.

Israel is not only intent on levelling and depopulating Gaza; it is using the cover of its onslaught to accelerate its attacks on all Palestinian lands, its institutions and peoples. Last week, the governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority briefed some of us in the House on the threats to their credit and banking system by the self-proclaimed fascist Israeli finance minister, Smotrich.

Palestine's present is under unprecedented assault by bombs and apartheid, while its future is being carved up by imperialist greed. Not alone are western forces intent on imposing the war criminal, Tony Blair, as viceroy in Gaza, but the genocidal regime of war crime fugitives in Israel is being given the green light to annex 82% of the West Bank with its E1 plan to permanently dismember any hope of a Palestinian sovereign territory. It is for the Palestinians - not Israel, not Trump, and not Tony Blair - to govern their own land, free from occupation, annexation and genocide. Saoirse don Phalaistín.

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