Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I note and commend the comments made by the Taoiseach that Israel's response is "approaching revenge" and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris's description of Israel's actions as a "war on children". Those comments show that they understand the extent of the violence unleashed on civilians in Gaza and the depth of the Irish public's revulsion at Israel's war crimes.

I want to address the motions from the Social Democrats and Sinn Féin in the Dáil today and yesterday on the situation in Palestine. Both are very reasonable and proportionate responses to the barbarity of Israel's attacks on Palestinian civilians, and both should be uncontroversial to anyone following the situation as it unfolds. I am very disappointed by the Government's opposition to these motions, and I will outline why I believe that is a disastrous decision. The International Criminal Court investigation into the crimes committed by the Israeli apartheid state and Palestinian resistance groups has been active since 2014 but because of Israel's refusal to co-operate, and threats from the US, basically no progress has been made. The current chief prosecutor has not made Palestine a priority and seems to be cowed by US resistance.

The Government is using the fact that an investigation is already ongoing as a flimsy excuse to vote down the Sinn Féin motion. Referral by member states is not necessary.The International Criminal Court can act alone but when dozens of countries, including Ireland, referred Russia to the court after it invaded Ukraine and pledged financial support to an investigation, it demonstrated solidarity and set the court's priorities and agendas. Referrals are needed to ramp up the pressure on Israel and emphasise the urgency of the situation. If Ireland refers Russia but not Israel, we are hypocrites and we are complicit in undermining the legitimacy of international law. We will lose standing among the nations of the global south, which will hurt efforts at international co-operation for global development and decarbonisation. If we do not take tangible action to pressure Israel, we are complicit in the degradation of international law. The undermining of the legitimacy of international law increases global polarisation and instability and, let us face it, makes us all less safe.

Palestinians are being murdered en masse, babies are dying in incubators and children are suffocating under mounds of rubble. They need action, not empty rhetoric and hand-wringing. The scale of the horror means no one can hide behind technical jargon or political excuses. Every Member of this House and of the Dáil needs to make a choice. What matters more, their soul or their party Whip; their career or their humanity? I urge colleagues to fight for a free vote, rebel and do whatever they can to be on the right side of history, or live with the shame of knowing they could not find the courage when they were called upon to take a stand.