Richard Boyd Barrett accuses Europe and US over Gaza killings
Richard Boyd Barrett criticised the United States and several European states for supplying weapons he said enabled mass killings in Gaza, citing an estimated 1,000 deaths in two days and around 50,000 over 15 months. He held the US, under Biden and now Trump, and EU states including Germany, France, Italy and Britain politically and morally responsible and said the situation will drive protests.
Richard Boyd Barrett said recent killings in Gaza — an estimated 1,000 in the last two days and some 50,000 over 15 months — could not have been carried out without weapons supplied by the United States and European states. He accused the US and EU suppliers of enabling atrocities and said Trump's policies had emboldened the Israeli regime.
He named Germany, France, Italy and Britain as states whose arms supplies and political stances share responsibility for Palestinian deaths. He said European states "have the blood of dead Palestinians on their hands" and urged acknowledgement and condemnation of their role.
On European defence, he argued many member states and the Baltics, Finland and Sweden perceive an existential threat and are building security capacities. He said Europe may need independent capabilities and must uphold a multilateral, rules-based order and the United Nations while also recognising changing US relationships.
He noted Ireland's trade position with the US changes when services are included and warned that Europe will take a strategic view on any US tariffs announced on April 2. He said Europe does not want tariffs, which it believes would harm jobs, the economy and push up inflation.
He said he has defended LGBT rights at the European Council against decisions by Prime Minister Orban and described Hungary's recent Council behaviour as a matter of grave concern. He affirmed continued defence of those rights within EU discussions.
Allegations of responsibility for Gaza deaths
Richard Boyd Barrett said recent killings in Gaza — an estimated 1,000 in the last two days and some 50,000 over 15 months — could not have been carried out without weapons supplied by the United States and European states. He accused the US and EU suppliers of enabling atrocities and said Trump's policies had emboldened the Israeli regime.
European weapons and political support
He named Germany, France, Italy and Britain as states whose arms supplies and political stances share responsibility for Palestinian deaths. He said European states "have the blood of dead Palestinians on their hands" and urged acknowledgement and condemnation of their role.
Security concerns and NATO relations
On European defence, he argued many member states and the Baltics, Finland and Sweden perceive an existential threat and are building security capacities. He said Europe may need independent capabilities and must uphold a multilateral, rules-based order and the United Nations while also recognising changing US relationships.
Trade, services and tariffs with the US
He noted Ireland's trade position with the US changes when services are included and warned that Europe will take a strategic view on any US tariffs announced on April 2. He said Europe does not want tariffs, which it believes would harm jobs, the economy and push up inflation.
LGBT rights and Hungary
He said he has defended LGBT rights at the European Council against decisions by Prime Minister Orban and described Hungary's recent Council behaviour as a matter of grave concern. He affirmed continued defence of those rights within EU discussions.
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Transcript
The death toll is now being estimated as 1,000 people in the last two days have been slaughtered in Gaza. It's rising as we speak. 1,000 people, hundreds of them slaughtered in their bed by Israel. Now, will you admit and condemn the fact that those horrific slaughters, on top of 50,000 or so have been slaughtered over the last 15 months, could not have been done without the weapons being provided by the United States, under Biden, now under Trump, and indeed egged on by Trump's ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza, which has clearly emboldened the Israeli regime to start to commit further atrocities, and the weapons provided by European Union states. Precisely the states, Germany in particular, but also France, also Italy, and Britain, who is not a member of the EU, but who are coming to these meetings. These states, European states, have the blood of dead Palestinians on their hands. Will you acknowledge that fact and condemn it? Because that's why people are going to be out protesting outside the law tonight and this weekend. I'm struck by Deputy Coppinger and White Barrett not mentioning Russia once in their contributions. It says a lot. It's eloquently put in terms of the lens through which you look at the world. But in terms of the European Union meetings, I can tell you the Baltics... Sorry, you had your chance. You didn't even mention them. Because it's a one-way ticket as far as you're concerned. And the fact of the matter is, a lot of the Baltic countries, Finland, Sweden, others, feel that the threat is a genuine existential threat to Europe. Europe feels exposed. Europe feels it doesn't have the capabilities yet. It needs to enhance them. That's why there's a build-up and that's why there's investment in security capacities across all of the member states. And particularly because it may not be able to rely on others as partners into the future. And that Europe needs to be in a position to have the wherewithal to defend itself. And member states as well. Because the geopolitical world is changing. The US is very clear in terms of saying it still wants to remain a member of NATO. But it seems to many in Europe that Europe will have to develop its own independent capacities and capabilities. And member states will do as well. And that Europe, in terms of Deputy Freel's point, yes, I think Europe will have to stand up and be the bastion of a multilateral rules-based order. And will have to maintain its focus on the United Nations in a world where that is being threatened and undermined. Of that there is no doubt. And Ireland as a small country needs an international global-based rules system. It's what we have always stood for. Deputy Tobin mentioned that we are exposed. We are. But also, we should not forget that it's not about goods alone. If you factor services in Ireland, it's actually in deficit in its trade with the US. And in terms of European Union-US trade, if you factor in services, you're about 50 billion in surplus out of 1.7 trillion, approximately. So, you know, America doesn't look at the service figures at all. But in any trade balance, services have to be factored in as well as goods. And we are engaging with companies. And, again, we're engaging with the European Union. And the European Union will take a strategic view in respect of how it responds to whatever tariffs are imposed. We don't quite know yet what tariffs, what level, or what sectors will happen. We'll know on April 2nd. And then Europe will take some time, not too long, to see how it responds. But Europe doesn't want any tariffs. Europe believes tariffs are damaging to economy, to jobs, and to consumers, where inflation will rise. Deputy Bacik, in the past I have defended LGBT rights at the European Council meeting in the face of decisions taken by Prime Minister Orban in respect of the curtailment of such rights. And we'll continue to do so. And I think Hungary's behavior on the Council is a matter of grave concern on a number of fronts in recent times.