Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will be aware, is international solidarity day with Palestine and I call for a further debate on the issue of the illegal occupation of Palestine which has gone on for 56 years. As the Leader will be aware, there are points on which we agree. We all called for a permanent ceasefire. We in Sinn Féin have recognised the value in that call. However, there are fundamental points of disagreement between ourselves on the left and Fine Gael and its sister party, Fianna Fáil. Fundamentally, for example, we believe there must be consequences for Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine. There must be consequences, in particular, for the genocide that we have witnessed over the past number of weeks of over 13,000 human beings, including 10,000 women and children. We believe the occupied territories Bill should be passed. Fianna Fáil has flip-flopped on this issue. When it was in opposition, the party stated it was in favour of it. Now Fianna Fáil is in government, it has abandoned the Bill. Fianna Fáil has argued that it cannot pass such a Bill and it has to be done at EU level. Perhaps the Leader might reflect on the fact that Belgium passed a Bill almost identical to the occupied territories Bill 2018 only last week. They have shown leadership. They have shown that they believe that there must be consequences for genocide and for the illegal occupation of Palestine.

I have to say the stance of the Government is in stark contrast to the stance in relation to Russia, where, quite rightly, it has called for strong action. The Government has called for sanctions against Russia. It has completely avoided the issue of sanctions in relation to Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine. When the Government had an opportunity to deal with the issue of divestment in relation to companies in the occupied territories where the State has invested €4 million of taxpayers' money shamefully, the Government put off any opportunity to deal with that. Clearly, the Leader and the Government do not believe there should be consequences. If the Leader does, I ask her to spell them out in her response. That is not acceptable. I have said for some time that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are on the wrong side of history when it comes to Palestine and the Palestinian people. Sinn Féin will always stand with Palestine.