Kneecap terrorism charges
Deputy Sheehan condemned Hamas and Hezbollah but argued the UK charges against a Kneecap member were political and asked the Tánaiste to raise the issue. The Tánaiste also condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and stressed the separation between governments and criminal justice systems.
I utterly condemn the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah. However, yesterday a member of the rap group Kneecap was charged with terrorism offences in the UK. They were charged under legislation that the British Government has been rather selective in its application of. The British Government has sent over 14 shipments of arms to Gaza. Last year it sent £127 million in military equipment to the Middle East. These charges are political. They are designed to censor and silence those who are calling out this genocide. It amounts to a carnival of distraction. Will the Tánaiste commit to raising this with his counterpart the UK Foreign Secretary and with the UK Prime Minister?
Comment on this
I join the Deputy in absolutely condemning Hamas and Hezbollah, which offer no future positivity to the people of Palestine. That is not just my view on that; the President of the Palestinian Authority has been clear that the future of Gaza needs to be a Hamas-free future.
I am also Minister for Defence. I have seen the utter destruction and death Hezbollah can bring to members of the Irish Defence Forces, and I think of Private Seán Rooney. I am conscious with regard to the British Government, recognising the separation that exists between governments and criminal justice systems and not wanting to say anything that cuts across a criminal justice system in another country, but I am very clear that the absolute focus of the entire world in the here and now needs to be on the depravation and starvation and war crimes being committed in Gaza.