Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

When you think the horror in the Gaza Strip cannot get any worse, it does. It gets worse on a daily basis. First, we had the genocide, the destruction of hospitals, the murder and the slaughter. Then we have the starvation, the killing, the terror, the blocking of food, the blocking of medicines and the turning off of electrical power, which impacts the desalination systems and water so there is little drinking water. Starvation is still genocide. It is still against international law. Now we have 1,000 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip in two days. This represents an acceleration of genocide and it is an acceleration of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

There is, as far as I can see, no crime that Israel has not committed in the West Bank and in Gaza. It has killed women and children. It has tortured women and children. It has turned sports fields into killing fields. There are no laws that will stop Israel terrorising Gaza and the West Bank.

All the Irish Government is doing is wagging its finger at Israel. It still refuses to sanction Israel. It still refuses to ensure there are consequences for the terror that Israel is imposing on Palestinians.

Apartheid Israel is laughing at international law, and Ireland, the EU and the rest of the world are standing there, watching.The Minister must come in and explain why apartheid Israel is not facing sanctions. Not only is Israel not facing sanctions, but this Government is watering down the occupied territories Bill. It is completely insane to think that the Government would be allowed to water down what is very modest legislation. We need to see justice in Palestine for the Palestinians. Peace will then follow.