Israel’s ban on UNRWA operating within its territory will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank and must be met with the strongest possible response by the international community, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on foreign affairs, said:
“Yet again, the Israeli government have shown there are no limits to the depths of depravity they will go to when it comes to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. By targeting the UN’s lead humanitarian operation in the region, Israel is flagrantly breaching international law by using starvation as a weapon of war.
“This law, when it comes into effect, will inevitably lead to the collapse of lifesaving aid and medical relief efforts in Gaza and the West Bank, marking another new low in Israel’s genocidal campaign.
“This callous decision flies in the face of a recent warning from the US that it would consider withholding military assistance to Israel if the flow of aid into Gaza was not increased. Given the outcome of the Israeli parliament’s vote, Washington must now make good on this threat.
“Today, we also heard more words of condemnation of Israel from the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, yet the Irish Government still refuses to enact the Occupied Territories Bill before the general election – despite there being no legal impediment to them doing so.
“Unless there are meaningful diplomatic and economic sanctions taken against Israel by the international community, including Ireland, Netanyahu’s murderous regime will continue to act with impunity.”
October 29, 2024