Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Oireachtas Members who attended a briefing I hosted yesterday with two of the most experienced and courageous human rights defenders in Israel and Palestine. I was delighted to see so many people there. We had Hagai El-Ad, the executive director of B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Raji Sourani, the director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. They both travelled to Ireland to speak about the ongoing Israeli assault on Palestinian human rights and Israel’s criminal practice of apartheid. I want to give huge thanks to Trócaire and Christian Aid for making their trip possible and for their diligent work on this issue.

Both men spoke powerfully about their vision of Ireland as a global icon of resistance to colonialism and as a champion of human rights. The identification between the Irish and Palestinian people is potent and beautiful. However, they did not mince their words. Because of Ireland’s history and its professed position as an advocate for the rights of small nations, particularly on the UN Security Council, they expect a lot from us. I really believe that we are letting them down. The silence is deafening.

They spoke about their desire to see the occupied territories Bill pass and for Ireland to use its position on the world stage to describe Israeli human rights abuses adequately and accurately. While last year’s motion condemning the de facto annexation of Palestinian territory was a welcome first step, it is time for Ireland to follow the established consensus of the international human rights community and recognise Israel as an apartheid state.

We have had this conversation before but Government figures remain elusive and defensive. They are keenly aware that the Government’s muted approach to this issue is sharply out of step with Irish public opinion. The Government might need to keep an eye on public opinion because it is not listening to the people on this issue. The Taoiseach, when pressed, declared that it was “unhelpful” to use the term "apartheid". This was roundly rebutted by Hagai El-Ad, who said it is actually unhelpful for the Taoiseach to undermine the experiences of Palestinians living under Israeli apartheid and the work of human rights organisations on these issues. I ask the Taoiseach, with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, whether they will consider this use of language in light of this critique from one of Israel’s most eminent human rights experts and the growing research produced by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and B’Tselem that unequivocally proves the existence of apartheid in Israel-Palestine.

A crime against humanity is being committed in plain sight, enabled by a conspiracy of silence among Western nations. Will Ireland lead on this issue and live up to our history and our stated values, or will we ignore the Palestinian people when they ask us to stand up for their rights and their humanity? This is a moral and political test that we cannot afford to fail. The Government must listen to the Irish people going forward or it will be in trouble. An anti-apartheid campaign will happen but the Government is not listening to what the people are saying.