Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let me start by thanking the Minister of State and the Government for not opposing this motion. It is not often that we are unified on something here in the Chamber and I am just blown away by the fact that it is on Palestine that we are unified. I feel quite emotional, so I ask Members to bear with me. I have been very passionate about Palestine for many years, as my colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group have been. As I was listening tonight, I was thinking back to when I visited Gaza in 2018, the amazing people I met there and the spirit of the people. I do not know if they are dead. I do not know if they are alive. I remember that when I was in Gaza back then, one woman who was with a human rights organisation, a wonderful women's group, asked: “Why has the international community abandoned us?” Those words stay with me every time I look at social media and every time I see what the Israelis are doing. Why has the international community abandoned the people of Gaza and allowed them to be murdered on an hourly basis? To see those children is just horrific.

I am so happy that we can be unified on this issue. Members have no idea what it will mean to the people of Palestine and the people of Gaza. It may not mean much to some people because it is a Seanad motion but the message that gets sent out now to the people of Palestine and the people of Gaza is just a little ray of hope that Ireland cares, the Irish Government cares and the Irish people care. That is unbelievable. I cannot even explain what that means to them.

With regard to the Occupied Territories Bill, which I want to highlight, I have to disagree with the Attorney General's advice. We saw that many eminent EU lawyers saw it and said it is compatible with EU law, so I have to push back on that a little bit. I would love it if the Attorney General would show us his advice, and I would like to see that.

I want to highlight another point. When Irish representatives go abroad for St. Patrick’s Day, especially to the US, it is so important to send a message that the recognition of Palestine is key to future peace and the two-state solution, but it is also very important to push for a permanent ceasefire now. I really hope they will do that.

I thank the officials of the Department for the work they are doing on Palestine, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. They are doing phenomenal work and I cannot imagine what it is like for them on a daily basis to be looking at the horrors that are going on over there.I wanted to highlight that as well.

Before I finish I will highlight another issue because I left it out when I spoke earlier. I will try to be as quick as I can. In 1948, Zionist militias ethnically cleansed 750,000 people from 522 villages in what is now Israel. They did this by massacring almost the entire population of villages like Deir Yassin near Jerusalem and Tantura near Haifa. They used the ensuing panic to incite Palestinians to flee across the border. Most Palestinians expected to return in a few weeks and kept - this is what breaks my heart - their house keys to prove ownership. They were never allowed to return. Imagine if that was in Ireland. Could the Minister of State imagine if that was done down where he is from in Laois? It could equally be in Mayo where someone is told to get out of their home but that they will be allowed to return. However, that never happens here. It is an awful situation. Most of the people driven out in 1948 died in refugee camps or were scattered to the four corners of the earth. Palestinians call this the Nakba, which translates as the "catastrophe". Some 80% of the population of Gaza are descendants of 1948 refugees. Now Israel wants to permanently remove them from historic Palestine. It truly is an atrocity. I hope this motion sends a signal of hope to the people of Palestine. I would love if we could bring this motion to the Dáil as well and get cross-party support.

I thank the Minister of State and the Government for supporting the motion. It means so much to us. It makes me very proud, as an Irishwoman, to be living in this country. Hopefully we will be able to do more. It is now about taking action on the basis of this motion and doing all the things contained in it. Let us take action and get working on it.