Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Not for the first time I want to raise the issue of Palestine. I was lucky enough to attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence to hear a presentation by the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, EAPPI. The programme was founded in response to a call made by the heads of churches in Jerusalem. Since 2002, more than 1,500 international volunteers from 22 countries have served as ecumenical accompaniers. The work they do includes monitoring and reporting violations of international law, providing a protective presence, supporting the work of peace groups and undertaking public policy advocacy. The delegation gave us the update on the village of Khan al-Ahmar located in the occupied West Bank, which the Israeli High Court has declared can be demolished.

I raise this issue because the EAPPI made a valuable contribution and outlined practical measures our Government could take. Our Government, in fairness, has made some good statements on Palestine but there has been no action. The EAPPI pointed out that we could call for the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine and press for compensation for the demolition of EU-funded aid structures. Most important, we could end the arms trade with Israel. We have purchased 17 million armaments from Israel over the past decade. How can we continue to treat Israel as a normal state? Everyone in this Chamber knows what is happening. Everyone knows that we are witnessing the slow genocide of an entire people. It would be a record of shame for this Government, when it ends, if no concrete actions were taken.