Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, said that every member of Government was horrified by what was happening in Gaza. I hear that, but it is really hard to believe it because the actions suggest that is not the case. The Government's actions suggest that it is actually complicit in the horrors that are happening in the Gaza Strip. This Bill seeks to close one of those loopholes, one of the ways in which this country - the Government - is facilitating the murder of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The horrors unfolding in the Gaza Strip are horrific, but it will happen in the West Bank next, and anybody who thinks any different is not keeping up with the news.

When I said it is hard to believe that the Government was horrified, while it recognised the State of Palestine, that is supporting Palestine and Palestinians, but it has never sanctioned Israel for anything it has done. There have been no sanctions whatsoever for Israel. Not only is the Government not willing to introduce the occupied territories Bill, it is trying to water it down. Now, it seems it is trying to shelve it altogether. That is completely unacceptable and shows whose side the Government is on. The Government is on the side of Israel. That might sound harsh, and it probably is harsh, but it is the reality. The Government has condemned what is happening in the Gaza Strip, but it has not ensured that there have been any consequences for the horrors that apartheid Israel has unleashed on the Palestinians, and it shows no signs it will do that.

There is a huge disconnect between Irish people and the Irish Government. The vast majority of Irish people support the Palestinians. They support justice because if they know that if there is justice for Palestinians, there will be peace. We do not need to continue to tolerate the supply of bombs by the Americans and the EU. The EU is complicit in the slaughter and genocide. Germany and Italy are huge manufacturers of weapons and have supplied Israel for many years. I do not have the figures, but I know they have supplied significant amounts of weapons to Israel. The EU is complicit, and the Irish Government is complicit in allowing the supply of weapons to kill and murder people in the Gaza Strip. Since 7 October 2023, the United States has officially provided - I have no doubt there is a lot more - at least €12.5 billion in direct military aid to Israel, including bombs, bullets, tanks, planes and everything in between. The only winners out of all of this are the armaments industry, the banks and the establishment.

The number of aircraft permitted to bring military weapons and ammunition through Ireland or on Irish-registered aircraft has hit a 13-year high. With 1,354 flights sanctioned last year, this represents an increase of 14% on weapons flights in a year, and a 67% increase since 2016. Early figures show that significantly more exemptions will be granted again this year. In each of the first two months of this year, 142 flights were permitted to transport munitions of war. It is absolutely unconscionable that any of these weapons of war, whether they come from the United States, Germany or Italy, would pass through Ireland on the way to further genocide of the Palestinian people. My colleague, Senator Stephenson, asked whose side we are on. The Irish Government's actions suggest that the Government is on the side of Israel. That is the sad truth. Israel is ethnically cleansing Gaza and the West Bank, and Ireland and the Government cannot simply stand by and let it happen. Some 18,000 children have been killed and slaughtered, and I suggest it is probably more.

I thank my colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group for introducing this important Bill. I hope that each and every one of us has the courage to stand up and ensure that we are not complicit in Israel's genocidal killing machine. I also thank the IPSC and grassroots activists for their efforts in pushing this legislation. I think everybody in the House received hundreds of emails demanding that we do the right thing, and I hope the Members in this House will listen. There is no doubt that the Irish people stand shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinians, and it is time the Government, as well as the Oireachtas, does the same.