Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I, too, condemn the slaughter of the Palestinian women, men and children over the weekend. This is nothing new, but those atrocities have focused people's minds. For that reason, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the House would get a full report from the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on his meeting with the Israeli ambassador. It is not good enough to just have a chat with him. Senator Black and the other Senators who have spoken are right. Action must be taken now. I want to see the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade come before this House to outline the leadership measures and actions that will be taken to address this atrocity.We often talk in this House about atrocities that happened and things over which we have no control. We cannot change the past but can change things now. Obviously, Ireland is a small state but addressing this requires not only international support but also international action. Ireland must play its part in that. We must show leadership and tangible actions to make that happen. It will not happen just through UN agreement. Specific actions are required. For our part, we have called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Ireland in response to what has happened. Sinn Féin has called repeatedly for the international community to stand in defence of the Palestinian people. What occurred is the antithesis of all universal democratic norms. The failure of the international community to take a stand against the multiple injustices being inflicted on the Palestinian people by Israel is shameful and outrageous and has to stop. We must do absolutely everything in our power to ensure it stops. Otherwise it is to our shame.