Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)

There are no more laws that Israel can break. There are no more UN conventions that Israel can ignore, and Israel continues with the ongoing genocide. The Irish Government continues to do nothing. I know Government will list things it believes it has done, such as measures like recognising the State of Palestine. It will say it funds various projects in the West Bank, and of course that is positive and good, but it does nothing to end the genocide in Gaza. It does nothing to make Israel be held to account for the slaughter and starvation it is imposing on Gaza. What has also happened is that while Ireland has funded projects in the West Bank, weeks later Israel blows them up and Ireland does nothing. Israel is the most dangerous regime in the world. Israelis are gathering on hills overlooking Gaza and cheering as bombs rain down on families and individuals in Gaza. Israel is a depraved country. You cannot dress it up any other way. The UN has warned that 14,000 babies could die in Gaza in the next 48 hours if it does not get the food aid it requires. Let us acknowledge that the UN is not an alarmist organisation. We have a position in Ireland now, where countries will object to Israel being banned from the Eurovision Song Contest and yet they are calling for the ending of starvation in Gaza. You have a situation where Kneecap and Gary Lineker are facing more consequences and punishment than Israel is for genocide in Gaza. We need to see action. We need to see the passing of the occupied territories Bill, and we need to ensure the selling of Israeli genocide bonds through the Central Bank stops as well.

I will recognise some of the children who have been murdered in the Gaza Strip. One is Muhammad Khalifa, who twice visited Ireland playing football. Both he and his whole family were wiped out. There are more than 20,000 other children like Muhammad, who have been slaughtered at the hands of Israel. We need to see action, and not just words. We need a debate. We need the Minister to come in here because he is ducking a debate on the issue of Gaza.