Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I begin by commending Senator Black for consistently shining a light on what is happening in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. I extend thanks on her behalf to Senator Chambers for scheduling the debate prior to the summer recess.

The recent invasion of Jenin refugee camp by the Israeli military represents a significant, but not unexpected, escalation of Israeli violence within the occupied Palestinian territories. Twelve people were killed, some of whom were children. Hundreds of people have been injured and thousands more have been made homeless. The Israeli military impeded Palestinian ambulance crews from treating the wounded. The people of Jenin refugee camp lived there because they have been displaced from their homes due to Israeli colonial expansion. What we are observing is what UN experts have referred to the "de-Palestinianisation" of the region. It is deliberate and is being facilitated by domestic law, which is discriminatory and acquisitive by design.

This latest escalation comes shortly after a huge wave of violence from illegal Israeli settlers that targeted Palestinians across the West Bank. The Israeli military, which is responsible for the protection of the occupied Palestinian population under international law, did nothing to stop it. In fact, a significant number of assailants were identified as off-duty soldiers. Violence against Palestinians is now, it seems, official policy of the state of Israel. While violent settlers once represented the fringe of Israeli politics, they are now represented in number in Israel's Cabinet.

The failure of the international community to stand up for the rights of the Palestinians has created a sense of impunity, which is fuelling racist extremism at the highest level in Israel. The stifling of the Palestinian economy means that many workers have to work for pittance under abusive conditions in Israel or in illegal Israeli settlements, which have confiscated and hoarded Palestinian land, water and natural resources. The only way Palestinians can enter the settlement are as low-paid workers. To get there, they are not allowed to use segregated Israeli-only roads. Every day, if they travel through the occupied West Bank for school or work, they are subject to Israeli military checkpoints. If a person is accused of a crime in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli defendant enjoys the due process of the Israeli court system while Palestinians, including children, are subjected to military tribunals with an estimated 95% to 99% conviction rate.

What we are observing is an institutionalised regime of oppression and domination by one racial group over another. This is apartheid, plain and simple. Israel is committing the crime of apartheid against the Palestinian people in blatant violation of international law. This has been documented by various multilateral institutions and international organisations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as prominent Israeli and Palestinian NGOs, such as B'Tselem and Al-Haq. The South African and Namibian Governments, made up of veterans of their successful struggle against apartheid, also concur. However, somehow, our own Government does not. Pithing the use of the term is unhelpful. Why do we feel we are better placed to assess whether apartheid is being committed than those with lived experience of the same oppression and domination? To me, this is not a justifiable position to take.

I acknowledge and commend the work being done by the newly formed civil society coalition, the Irish Anti-Apartheid Campaign for Palestine. The Government will issue press releases when Palestinians are murdered in the occupied territory or when an Irish Aid-funded school is destroyed. These are words crafted by committee, designed to appease certain American and European politicians and officials who, through their inaction, are complicit in this ongoing pattern of Israeli expansion and violence.

The question I wish to pose is about whether we are content that words of condemnation are the extent of our solidarity. The Government has blocked the passage of useful, practical legislation like Senator Black's occupied territories Bill. When Russia launched its illegal invasion of Ukraine, we agreed to oppose sanctions in a matter of weeks. The Palestinian people have been waiting decades. I believe the Government is out of step with the public who understand the Palestinian struggle for freedom implicitly. We need to begin listening to Palestinians, the South Africans and human rights experts and finally recognise the reality of Israeli apartheid. The Palestinian people are keenly aware of Ireland and Palestine's shared history of anti-colonial resistance. The bond of solidarity and friendship between us is powerful. They look to us for support for their struggle for freedom and self-determination and we are currently letting them down. That must change, and it requires a significant shift in Government policy and practice to do so.