The impunity to commit daily war crimes, that the Israeli government enjoys, is merely emboldening it to commit further atrocities.
There is in inherent contradiction in the Irish government co-sponsoring a UN resolution which calls on all States to end trade with illegal Israeli settlements – while it refuses to do that at home, according to Social Democrats defence spokesperson Gary Gannon.
“I welcome the fact that the Irish government has co-sponsored a UN resolution tabled by the State of Palestine. This means the Irish government is, in effect, calling on all states to agree with the terms of the resolution.
“Among those terms, is a demand that states should end all trade with illegal Israeli settlements. Regrettably, our own government has refused to do that – despite legislation which would end that trade, the Occupied Territories Bill, being ready to go.
“There is an inherent contradiction in the government supporting measures on a world stage that is declining to act on at home. As it stands, the Irish state’s relationship with Israel has changed very little since the genocide in Gaza began nearly one year ago.
“Our trade, diplomatic and travel relationships remain virtually unchanged. Even the United States, Israel’s biggest champion, has imposed travel bans on violent Israeli settlers. The Irish government hasn’t even managed that.
“The impunity to commit daily war crimes, that the Israeli government enjoys, is merely emboldening it to commit further atrocities. Recent indiscriminate attacks in Lebanon – tampering with tech devices which have passed through Western supply chains – now risk a regional escalation of the conflict.
“While we wait for the international community to act, there is nothing stopping the Irish government from taking unilateral action to sanction the Israeli state. If not now, when?”