Brian Stanley accuses Israel of 'terrorism' and demands action
Brian Stanley addressed the minister and the nation, condemning the bombing, starvation and alleged torture in Gaza and calling for immediate, concrete measures. He demanded designation of the Israeli government and military as war criminals and terrorists, an end to assistance, passage of the Occupied Territories Bill, a halt to Shannon overflights, and an emergency UN General Assembly session.
The speaker described the bombing of hospitals, clinics, homes, tents and the forced starvation of civilians in Gaza, saying convoys of food were being kept a mile or two away. He detailed reports of torture in prisons, shots fired at children and families, the killing of animals, and daily slaughter, characterising these acts as merciless and inhuman.
He called for the whole Israeli government and military command to be designated as war criminals and terrorists and argued that no assistance should be given to what he called the "terrorist state of Israel." He cited advice from the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advice to support the view that such measures can be taken.
The speech condemned the sale of war bonds in this country that, he said, assist Israel's war expenditure, describing such funds as "blood money." He urged suspension of Israeli-EU trade agreements and insisted that assistance and financial links should be stopped while alleged genocide and ethnic cleansing continue.
He commended the Labour Party for bringing forward the motion and called for the passage of the Occupied Territories Bill to include services and goods. He demanded an end to the use of Shannon airport and an immediate stop to overflights used to transport weapons to Israel.
The speaker urged the government to join other states in calling for an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly to seek collective measures for an immediate ceasefire, the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to protect Palestinians, and to begin negotiations toward a two-state solution and recognition of a sovereign state of Palestine.
Addressing the minister directly, he concluded with an urgent plea for action rather than words, emphasising that measures must follow the motion and calling repeatedly for immediate governmental response.
Graphic allegations and humanitarian concerns
The speaker described the bombing of hospitals, clinics, homes, tents and the forced starvation of civilians in Gaza, saying convoys of food were being kept a mile or two away. He detailed reports of torture in prisons, shots fired at children and families, the killing of animals, and daily slaughter, characterising these acts as merciless and inhuman.
Designation and legal arguments
He called for the whole Israeli government and military command to be designated as war criminals and terrorists and argued that no assistance should be given to what he called the "terrorist state of Israel." He cited advice from the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advice to support the view that such measures can be taken.
Financial and trade measures
The speech condemned the sale of war bonds in this country that, he said, assist Israel's war expenditure, describing such funds as "blood money." He urged suspension of Israeli-EU trade agreements and insisted that assistance and financial links should be stopped while alleged genocide and ethnic cleansing continue.
Legislation and transport demands
He commended the Labour Party for bringing forward the motion and called for the passage of the Occupied Territories Bill to include services and goods. He demanded an end to the use of Shannon airport and an immediate stop to overflights used to transport weapons to Israel.
International diplomacy and peacekeeping
The speaker urged the government to join other states in calling for an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly to seek collective measures for an immediate ceasefire, the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to protect Palestinians, and to begin negotiations toward a two-state solution and recognition of a sovereign state of Palestine.
Final appeal
Addressing the minister directly, he concluded with an urgent plea for action rather than words, emphasising that measures must follow the motion and calling repeatedly for immediate governmental response.
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Transcript
Minister, constituents and people across the country, across the 32 counties of Ireland are watching on in horror and they depend on us to take action in terms of what's happening in Gaza. The bombing of hospitals, clinics, homes, tents, merciless, families, children, men being slaughtered, forced starvation, famine, while convoys, convoys of food, is a mile and two miles away. The torture of men and women, absolutely shocking by the Israelis what's happening in the prisons. Israel stoops to ever lower depths of cruelty and inhumanity on a daily basis. Israeli terrorists take potshots at kids, at families, at women, at donkeys, they kill their animals and other targets just for fun on a daily basis. The whole Israeli government and the military command now need to be designated as war criminals and terrorists. I heard lectures about terrorism for years. This is terrorism. This is terrorism on a scale that we have never seen before. This country is now the home country for the selling of war bonds which assist Israel to carry out the genocide. No assistance should be given to the terrorist state of Israel. It's inconceivable to assist Israel at a time when its government forces are engaged in terrorism and genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine and the daily slaughter. The Israeli government needs to sell its war bonds. It's a huge part of their expenditure. That's spent on bombs and rockets and funding illegal settlements. It's funding war and terror. It's blood money, Minister. Any excuses about not being able to do it need to be pushed to one side. The Office of Parliamentary of Legal Advice in this complex area, they've given advice that this can be done. I want to commend the Labour Party for putting forward this motion. We need to go much further. We need to pass the Occupied Territories Bill and include services and goods in it. We need to stop the use of Shannon and stop overflights for the transportation of weapons to Israel. We need to continue to press for the suspension of the Israeli-EU trade agreements. The government to join with other states to call for an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly, where I learned would table the resolution as set out here in the motion, to call for a meeting at the Assembly, to call for collective measures to enable the development of a last ceasefire and a sustainable peace agreement, to put in place an international peacekeeping force on the ground to protect Palestinians. And also to begin the negotiations for two states solution for the sovereign state of Palestine to be recognised. Please act. No more words. We need Action Minister.