Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to thank Senator Norris and commend him for his eloquence on behalf of the rights of the Palestinian people and in support of the Bill. I want to confirm the strong support of the Labour Party in the Seanad for this Bill. I spoke in January to express our support for it then. I commend Senator Black and her colleagues for bringing it forward.

Since January, when we commenced the debate on the Bill, the case for the Bill has become even more compelling. We have seen appalling atrocities, including the killing of Palestinian civilians. Looking at the UN figures, in Gaza between 30 March and 18 June, 137 Palestinians were killed, with some 14,800 injured, including 3,943 by live ammunition and gunshots. We have seen no progress on the peace process; indeed, we have seen a roll-back on US intervention in the peace process. Therefore, we have no choice but to try to take a lead on this.The Labour Party has a long-standing position in support of the rights of the Palestinian people which is informed by the need for a two state solution. We have always stood for the need for a comprehensive multilateral peace agreement between Israel and Palestine which respects international law. We are seeing multiple violations of international law in the ongoing settlements. As Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, who was then leader of the Labour Party, led the way in 2011 in his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York in which he supported the Palestinian bid to become a full member of the UN. We led then. Sweden and other countries have led within the EU in unilateral actions recognising the state of Palestine. It is time for us in Ireland to again lead on this issue and in asserting the rights of the Palestinian people by taking the modest step of supporting Senator Black's Bill. I strongly urge colleagues to support the Bill in this House today.