Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I, too, want to raise the issue of Palestine this morning. At this point, our hearts are broken as we have watched the genocide unfold in front of our eyes over the last number of months. It has called into question the myth of western democracy when we sit back and watch what the Israeli occupied forces are meting out to the Palestinian people. There is a level of hypocrisy by the West in its response to the actions of Israel when compared to the swiftness - and rightly so - with which sanctions were introduced against Russia. It is very telling that we are still here months later and no action has been taken against Israel for what it is doing. Israel will continue to act with impunity because it is allowed to act with impunity.

It is true to say that the Irish Government has been more outspoken than other EU countries and the US, but words are not enough at this stage. We saw the Israeli ambassador on our public broadcaster attempting to link the death of six-year-old Hind Rajab to Hamas. She spoke about the two paramedics who went to rescue a six-year-old child who called for help after she had just witnessed her entire family being destroyed by the IOF. The paramedics who went to rescue her were slaughtered with Hind. Nobody can defend that. We saw the Israeli ambassador on our TV screens trying to link it to Hamas. It is sickening to try to defend this in some way. At this point, her position is untenable, and she should be expelled. She certainly should not be given airtime on our public broadcaster.

Civilians fled to Rafah because they were told they would be safe there. The agenda of the Netanyahu Government is now very clear. It has said it out loud - it is not even saying it quietly anymore. Its agenda is to displace the people of Palestine from Gaza altogether. It wants them to go over the border into Egypt. That is a war crime and Ireland has to join the ICJ case against Israel. We have to recognise the state of Palestine. We have to bring in the occupied territories Bill.

As Senator Higgins has said, a review of the EU-Israel association pact is not enough at this stage. It needs to be suspended with immediate effect. We cannot have words anymore. We are all getting emails every day from people who are pleading. They are desperate and they feel helpless because of what they are seeing before their eyes. They want their politicians and their Government to act. I know there will be statements next week, but the time for words is over.