Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an rún seo inniu. Gabhaim buíochas leis an nGrúpa Teicniúil um Neamhspleáigh agus Páirtithe as an rún seo a chur os comhair na Dála.

The disaster unfolding in Gaza and Palestine is absolutely horrific. It is a significant stain on the international community that it has been allowed to proceed in the manner it has. The images we have seen over the past number of years of an enormously powerful, well-armed Israel Defense Forces absolutely crushing a very poor, unarmed state right beside it are incredible. The injustice of the disparity between the two states is shocking. It has been allowed to proceed. It has been underwritten by the West and by the United States of America. Many countries like Ireland have spoken but in general, for practical purposes, have sat on the sidelines. I believe they have played a role in underwriting it as well.

It is a human disaster. I recall when I was young, there were three intractable conflicts - Palestine, the North of Ireland and South Africa. It is incredible that both here in Ireland and in South Africa we have moved past those conflicts, yet Palestine is still locked into an intractable conflict 20 or 30 years later. It frustrates me because Ireland has a proud history in terms of democracy, anti-colonialism, pushing back against nuclear proliferation and pushing for self-determination across the world. In relation to this, we have been laggards in fulfilling our responsibilities. Many Irish people see themselves in the eyes of Palestinian people because our histories are so similar. During the plantation of Ulster, Irish people lost their property and homelands to people coming from Scotland and England at the time. That sowed the seeds for 400 years of conflict. One of the most damaging things to do is to occupy a location, take territory off a location, steal homesteads, property and farms off people, remove them from those locations and simply occupy that area because that grievance does not disappear. It exists for generations beyond that. In terms of Israel's own defence and security, it is sowing the seeds of future damage to its country in the occupation of the West Bank. The use of famine in recent times as a tool of war again strikes a chord with so many Irish people. We suffered shockingly. I think Ireland is the only country in the whole world whose population is still lower today than it was in the 1840s. It is so hard to see.

A big frustration of mine is that the Government is speaking from both sides of its mouth on this issue. One of the easiest ways for a government to say no is to say yes and do nothing. That is exactly what the strategy is here. I have seen so many campaign groups come to the gates of Leinster House and TDs file out, get their photographs taken, put their arms around them, have a smile with them and then come back in here and do nothing. There is a disaster in that because the Government is not telling the truth about its purpose and motivation in relation to this. It is incredible that this passed Second Stage in 2018 - nearly eight years ago - and it has languished on Committee Stage since then. I do not believe the Government has the desire to see this through. As a result, I do not believe Ireland is using its potential position as a catalyst internationally to create the momentum that is necessary economically to check the actions of the Israeli state. That is a major loss and a major mistake. It is a dereliction of duty. There is a responsibility that comes with that. By not acting in those terms, we become responsible for the consequences. Those consequences are dire; they are shocking. They include the atomisation of young children by bombs in tents in places like Gaza and the stealing of land from families in the West Bank. The Government needs to get its act together and implement this legislation ASAP.

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