Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)

As this will be my last time to speak in the Dáil, I take the opportunity to thank the people of Kildare North who have afforded me the privilege to represent them over many years. I also thank my supporters and particularly those who have worked with me, my parliamentary assistant, Aaron McAllorum, and my constituency manager, Fionnuala Killeen. I thank the staff of the Houses for their courtesy and assistance over the years.

Such is the magnitude of what is occurring in Palestine and Gaza that we have chosen to use our Private Members' time to debate the genocide happening in Gaza. There need to be consequences for what is occurring, which cannot be described as a country defending itself. Hospitals, schools, people's homes, universities and places of worship are being reduced to rubble. Gaza is being described as a graveyard for children with thousands slaughtered. Those who have survived are being denied the basics for life. This will be made worse, if that is possible, by making UNRWA illegal.

Genocide is described as an international crime that involves the intentional destruction of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. The term was established after the Holocaust and was defined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Israel is being supplied with weapons of war primarily by the US but also by some EU member states. By doing so, they are complicit in the genocide. How can we be told that the use of a 500 lb bomb is precise and targeted? How is it that we are watching in real time citizens being used as target practice? What is occurring is an attempt to wipe out the population of Gaza and occupy those lands. Men, women and children - whole families - are being wiped out. Ethnic cleansing of Gaza is the official policy now. No Palestinian will be allowed to live in northern Gaza and it is just moving further and further.

The Geneva Conventions were adopted just four years after the end of the Second World War. The fourth of the conventions relates to the protection of civilians in occupied territories such as Gaza and the West Bank. There are very well-defined protocols in addition to the convention, such as Article 48 which states the following basic rule:

In order to ensure respect for and protection of the civilian population and civilian objects, the Parties to the conflict shall at all times distinguish between ... civilian objects and military objectives and accordingly shall direct their operations only against military objectives.

To avoid any doubt, Article 50.2 states "The civilian population comprises all persons who are civilians". How can tiny babies, toddlers and small children be seen as legitimate military targets? That is what we are seeing with the slaughter of thousands of children. I have no doubt but that everyone in this House is horrified by what is occurring. It is essential that we all call it what it is. It fits the classic definition of a genocide. If we accept that, we must accept that we need to take all possible actions.

The Tánaiste referred to the International Court of Justice and Israel having until mid-2025 to appeal. What will be left of Gaza then? How many more people will be killed in that time? The people there are asking where is the world and where is the action. We are not seeing the sanctions that are needed or any stopping of the supply of weapons in this scenario from countries that we regard as friendly to us. We need to be the voice because the people in Gaza feel they do not have a voice. We must ensure that this slaughter stops.

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