Rose Conway-Walsh demands implementation of occupied territories bill
Rose Conway-Walsh condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, detailing deaths, injuries, displacement and alleged war crimes, and called for immediate action. She urged the government to implement the occupied territories bill and said recognition of the state of Palestine must mean more.
Casualties and displacement in Gaza
She said Gaza has been flattened to the ground, with more than 66,000 deaths, almost 170,000 injured and 90% of the population forcibly displaced. She noted that in one week between the 3rd to the 10th of September, 499 Palestinians were killed and that famine was confirmed in Gaza by the integrated food security phase classification.
Allegations of war crimes and attacks on workers and journalists
She cited the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights saying Israel is committing "war crime upon war crime" and highlighted the scale of civilian harm, including 248 journalists killed and 540 aid workers slaughtered. She accused the Israeli government of weaponising humanitarian aid and called for aid distribution to be independent, impartial and neutral in line with humanitarian principles.
Call to implement the occupied territories bill
Addressing the Minister, she asked what it will take and pressed the government to lead on implementing the occupied territories bill without further delay. She criticised businesses arguing against including services in the bill and insisted that recognising the state of Palestine must, at a minimum, mean implementing that legislation.
Acknowledgement of protesters and solidarity
She opened by thanking protesters who gather every weekend around the country and extended deepest solidarity to the Palestinian people enduring what she described as unimaginable, horrific suffering and starvation. She said campaigners are prepared to act "whatever it takes" and to meet day or night to secure implementation of the bill.
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At the outset, I want to acknowledge the protesters who gather every weekend around this country and what the Irish people have done to stand up for Palestine and what they continue to do. I want to acknowledge that in the House today and I want to thank them for that. I want to extend deepest solidarity to the Palestinian people under unimaginable, horrific suffering and starvation at the hands of the Israeli government and its allies. This outbreak of this horrific genocide is approaching its second anniversary. Gaza has been flattened to the ground. More than 66,000 deaths. In one week alone between the 3rd to the 10th of September, 499 Palestinians were killed. Almost 170,000 injured. 90% of the population have been forcibly displaced. Prolonged and enforced starvation on a civilian population. Famine was confirmed in Gaza for the first time by the integrated food security phase classification. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said Israel is committing war crime upon war crime. 248 journalists killed. 540 aid workers slaughtered. The humanitarian aid has been weaponised by the Israeli government who control every access point and aid distribution network. All aid distribution must be independent, impartial and neutral in line with humanitarian principles. As I stand here today, Minister, I am just wondering what will it take. I go to different gatherings, as you will, and you hear people talk about the occupied territories bill. And we both work in the business sphere. And when I see businesses saying, but you know, we shouldn't do the services, we shouldn't include the services in it. It is up to this government to lead. To lead. To implement the occupied territories bill without further delay. It has to be done. We have to stand up. Recognising the state of Palestine has to mean more. And it certainly, at a minimum, has to mean us implementing that occupied territories bill. Whatever it takes, we are willing to come in here day or night to do that.
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