Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Labour Party supports this Bill, as it did on the previous Stage. I congratulate Senator Black and the Civil Engagement group on bringing forward this legislation. Whenever we speak in this Chamber of the rise of right-wing rhetoric and populism across the world, countries such as America, the UK, Hungary, Poland and Italy are mentioned but nobody ever mentions Israel. Remarkably, from a pretty low base it has managed in the past number of years to make things even worse.

The Jewish people - a proud people wherever they have been - have always been viewed as the enemy within. They have a proud community where I live and there is a Jewish cemetery around the corner from me. They are a proud people viewed as the enemy within, a reviled people, and yet that is exactly what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people. It views them as the enemy within. That is why we support the Bill and why we will continue to support the Palestinian people. It is why we will continue to join others to ensure that Israel is eventually treated as South Africa was in the past. It is only with collective international action that Israel will change its attitude and practices with its outright disgraceful treatment of international law.