Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, 22 May, strikingly enough, marked the anniversary of Carol Ann Kelly. Carol Ann was shot and killed by a rubber bullet in Twinbrook on her way home from getting a carton of milk for her mother in 1981. When Carol Ann was murdered and fatally fell to the ground, the organs of the state kicked into gear immediately and began to victim-blame. They blamed her, her family and the community in which she lived for the actions carried out by the British Army that day.

Given what other Senators have said, the Minister of State seriously needs to reflect and spend a little time on this. I understand he has been handed a script by an official. The Minister of State must avoid engaging in the kind of deliberate, calculated and very dangerous propaganda that is emanating with regard to the Palestinian people and what is happening in Gaza at the moment. It is perfectly clear to me and anyone who wants to see it, that what is being implemented and playing out in Gaza is slaughter. It is the massacre of innocent protesters. It is familiar to us but, although even given the gravity of what Ireland suffered as a result of colonialism, we have not seen anything close to the type of awful horror inflicted on the Palestinian people, not least those in Gaza. The Minister of State might reflect on that and might do what Senator Gavan has encouraged him to do and withdraw his offensive, if not very ill-considered, remarks. The problem is that it is a mantra that has become all too familiar in practices of colonialism and brutality throughout the world in this era as well as many before it.

This country has a proud record in standing against apartheid. The Houses have voted to recognise the state of Palestine. The Government ignores this will, much like the Israeli Government ignores international law, given the implementation and carrying out of war crimes against the Palestinian people.

Like Senator Norris said earlier, I am here a relatively short time but already I am tired of having to come in and repeat the exact same things on Gaza and Palestine about the suffering those people have to endure. I understand the geopolitical sensitivities and that the Government has to engage in a degree of diplomacy, but I do not believe we are dealing with an ordinary state. We are certainly not dealing with an ordinary conflict between two ordinary states. We are seeing people in Gaza being massacred. As people have rightly said, this is an open air prison. I have no wish to rehearse all of the horror that we have articulated many times, but that is the position. It is not too much to ask this Government, given its actions with the Russian ambassador, to bring in the Israeli ambassador and expel him from Ireland. His state is in breach of international law. It is committing war crimes.

I have no doubt that the Minister of State and his officials have exhausted whatever diplomatic avenues are open to them, modest as they are. Like any conflict resolution situation, there is of course a time for engagement and dialogue. However, there is also a time for action. There is a time for standing for what is right and just. There is a time for standing against things like apartheid. For God's sake, we must find a way to stand against apartheid and show Ireland standing against apartheid on the international stage.

We heard lovely things earlier about what we invest in that part of the world, the Irish bars there, going for pints and meeting the lovely Irish diaspora. They ought to be ashamed of themselves, to be honest, if, as Irish people, they are standing and participating in full knowledge in a system and economy like that of Israel - an apartheid regime.

What can we do? We can, we should and we must expel the Israeli ambassador if we have any degree of understanding of the horror and wrongness of apartheid and if we have any respect for international law. We have endured colonialism, brutality and occupation. For God's sake, we have to take a stand on the international stage in the full knowledge that it will be a modest stand and that it will not have the necessary impact with other states throughout the world. When has that ever stopped us before? As has been rightly said, we took a good, proud and valiant stand against apartheid in South Africa. What is the difference in this case?

Why will the Irish Government not stand in support of the Palestinian people? I suspect somewhat cynically that we all know the reason. I believe we are being hampered by the EU structures. I believe we are being shackled by the EU structures from doing the right thing and supporting not only the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador but Senator Black's Bill which proposes a boycott of Israeli goods from illegal settlements in the proudest Irish tradition, which we started. We should stand with the Palestinian people to send a clear message to them that they have our solidarity and support and that none of this will prohibit us from supporting and engaging with diplomatic and conflict resolution initiatives later on. The time has long since passed for us to take action.

I hope the Minister of State will reflect on his contribution and bring back the views of the House with regard to the rubbish inflicted upon us. The Minister of State should adhere to the will of these Houses and recognise the state of Palestine.