Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Before I make my contribution, I want to address some of the things that have been said. A suggestion has been made that the passing of the Bill today will mean the changing of policy tomorrow. However, we all know that is not how the legislative process works. There are multiple Stages in both Houses. There is pre-legislative scrutiny, Committee Stage and Government amendments. I do not see why all of this diplomatic engagement and all of these other bits and pieces cannot happen as we go through the normal legislative process. There is no reason to kick the Bill to touch for six months. All of the things that need to happen can happen within the normal legislative process. I do not think that argument stands up.

It was also said that this Bill is not going to end the war. That is probably the case, but it would ensure we would not be complicit in the transfer of weapons to Israel for use in this war. It would make the inspection of planes mandatory so that we would know for certain if weapons were passing through Irish soil.

On Monday morning, we woke up to images and videos from Rafah and Gaza. There were more last night and today. Those images and videos depict the horror and reality of the genocide taking place in Gaza. We have seen another example of Israel's indiscriminate use of weapons against innocent civilians, weapons which potentially have come through our own soil. The Israeli authorities told Palestinians they would be safe in Rafah, although I think we all knew that nowhere was going to be safe. Of course, we welcome the Irish Government's decision to join South Africa's case against Israel in the International Criminal Court and Ireland's formal recognition of the State of Palestine. However, such recognition cannot be an end in and of itself. It must be followed by action. As the bombing, destruction and killing of civilians continues, there is no time to wait. What good is the recognition of a state if that state is being wiped out of existence, possibly with weapons that have passed through our own soil at Shannon Airport?

This Bill would not only be a tangible measure following on from the Government's recognition of the State of Palestine but would also be a necessary measure. The International Court of Justice has ordered states to take provisional measures to prevent acts being committed against the people of Gaza in contravention of the Genocide Convention. It is our duty under international law to take action. We also have a moral obligation to do all we can to protect the people of Palestine and to ensure international law is upheld. This Bill, as I have already said, would force the Minister to carry out inspections of aircraft that are possibly carrying weapons through this State that are destined for Israel or likely to be transported to Israel.Not a single inspection has been carried out since 2020 of any aircraft potentially carrying weapons through Ireland. We cannot stand idly by while our airports facilitate the transport of weapons for war crimes, undermining our long-standing position of military neutrality. If we are going to kick this to touch, will the Minister at least commit that there will be inspections or interim measures while this Bill is going through the up-in-the-air diplomatic processes?

The Labour Party and I have been clear that the violence must stop. It feels ridiculous to say that we need a ceasefire now. What does that even mean anymore? We need more than a ceasefire. We need sanctions. We need to ensure that Ireland is in no way complicit with the provisions of arms or weapons to this brutal Israeli regime. Weapons are designed to kill, maim and destroy their intended victim. That is the whole point of weapons. There are no innocent weapons if they are being passed through Ireland. We all know that the attack on 7 October was abhorrent and we condemn their actions in the strongest terms and call for the immediate release of hostages. However, it does not give licence to Netanyahu's Government to breach international law and undertake a massacre of Palestinian civilians. If we are to have any hope of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, then Netanyahu's Government cannot be allowed to continue its vengeance-driven crusade of violence against civilians.

The latest death toll, from the figures I have from this morning, is 36,615 killed, including 15,000 children, and 1,139 people have been killed in Israel. Every death is a tragedy. It is undoubted that there is a clear imbalance. The Palestinian people are being punished by the Israeli Government and army for the actions of Hamas on 7 October. That is collective punishment, which is a war crime and is unacceptable. The everyday people of Gaza did not commit acts of terror. Children did not commit acts of terror. That little child whose body was being held up, with no head of the body, whose gender could not even be identified, did not commit an act of terror. Why are they being killed in response?

Alongside advocating for the end of the use of Shannon Airport for arms trafficking, the Labour Party and I will continue to push for the occupied territories Bill that has been tabled by Senator Frances Black to be passed by Government. We have to end trade relations with Israel, suspend EU-Israel trade relations and impose severe sanctions. We have long advocated for Palestinian statehood and self-determination. The Labour Party recognises that, for Palestinians, this war began long before 7 October and they have been living under an apartheid regime. I do not even like to use the word "war" because that implies some sort of even power balance.

Yesterday, I spoke about the Dunnes Stores workers, who were led by Mary Manning, who went on strike for three years until the Government capitulated and banned the sale of South African goods. Will we have to wait for three more years before we see any action? In seven months, Gaza has effectively been wiped off the face of the Earth. Imagine what it will look like in three years. How many Palestinians will be left alive? How many children will die? How many innocent people will have to die if we have to wait for three more years?

We remain steadfast in our belief that the only way to ensure lasting peace and security for Palestinian people is through a two-state solution. Labour Senators will of course be supporting the Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024. We thank the Civil Engagement Group for tabling it. The use of Shannon Airport by the US to traffic arms to Israel makes Ireland tacitly complicit in the brutal bombardment of Gaza and we cannot allow that to continue. Like all right-minded people, we in the Labour Party are appalled by the systemic destruction of Gaza and the indiscriminate murder of Palestinian women, men and children. It is a genocide and if there is even a chance that we in Ireland are in any way complicit by facilitating the passage of arms and weapons through our soil, we must do everything to stop that.