Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join Senators in thanking Thomas Hickey for all he has done to make this institution run as it does. I wish him every happiness and enjoyment in his retirement. I know that Senator Black will thank everybody else who must be thanked and who make this institution possible. I am happy and honoured to continue to serve here and to be back.

Last night, I was lying awake between about 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., which is something I do a lot now. I was thinking about love and suffering and the love and suffering of all those in Israel and Palestine who have lost and had family members and neighbours taken and killed. I was thinking of all of those affected but, in particular, about the love and heartbreak of the people in Palestine, in Gaza. I was thinking about the extraordinary acts of love we see happening in Gaza amid the incredible pain there. I mention the love of the parents who leave everything they own in order to try to bring their children to safety, only to find there is no safe place in Gaza, as the UN tells us. I mention the love of the mothers who are giving birth by Caesarean section, without anaesthetic, or trying to feed their crying babies, even though they only have salt water to drink themselves. I mention the love of the doctors who are working under fire. I mention the love of those who lose their families but who keep digging in the rubble for strangers and their bodies. I mention the love of all of those - and this is important - who try to keep the memories of light, the sea, culture and community alive, even when they are surrounded by pain. I mention all of those beautiful hearts that are being scraped raw, shattered into pieces and stopped forever, with hundreds more every day.

We will have a time - and there must be a time - when all of the crimes of Israel and Hamas are tried, investigated and prosecuted at the International Criminal Court but right now, every day that the killing is allowed to continue is a crime against humanity. We cannot in any way be complicit in allowing that. I am proud that Ireland and the Taoiseach will be at the European Council meeting today and tomorrow calling for a ceasefire and pushing for peace. We need to be clear that we need concrete actions that add pressure to that. That means looking at the EU-Israel association trade agreement, which is premised on compatibility with human rights and the UN Charter. We must say that we need to look at suspending the agreement under Article 82. We cannot provide favourable trade agreements, benefits and advantages to those who do not show regard for international law. Similarly, the memorandum of understanding on energy between the EU and Israel must be examined. If we do nothing and continue with business as usual, even as we call and cry, then we are not doing everything we can to stop this killing and to lead to real peace in the region.