Palestinian solidarity and Israeli purchases
Senator Gavan welcomed the Palestinian flag over Dublin City Council, condemned Israel's treatment of Palestinians, and objected to Government military purchases from Israel. The exchange became heated with interjections over whether the situation amounted to apartheid, before he called for a debate with the Defence Minister.
It is great to see and acknowledge the Palestinian flag flying over Dublin City Council for the month of May.
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I congratulate the councillors of all parties and none who have undertaken this exercise to ensure that recognition is given to the Palestinian people. It could not come at a better time given that there are currently 1,500 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Why are they on hunger strike? It is because they want the right to make a phone call.
They also want the right to see their families once every two months but even these basic rights of dignity and respect are denied them by the apartheid Israeli state.
What a shame then that at the same time our Government decided to buy a fleet of high-powered spy drones at a cost of €1.9 million from an Israeli company. This is part of €14 million worth of expenditure by our Government on goods from an apartheid state. Apparently the Defence Forces have defended the purchase on the grounds of cost. Has this Government thrown morality out the window? Is it now okay to buy military equipment from an apartheid state that practices torture and murder as a daily exercise? One of my colleagues has just returned from Hebron where he witnessed at first hand people being brutalised because they had the temerity to try to plant olive trees on their land.
Every time I raise the issue of apartheid Israel, there is an awkward silence from the Fine Gael benches but that is not good enough. Fine Gael Members should either stand up and tell us why they think it is okay to support apartheid or else they should acknowledge that it is wrong-----
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It is apartheid. The Senator should be very clear on that-----
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Anyone who has been to occupied Palestine knows that it is an apartheid state.
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How would the Senator define apartheid if that is not apartheid?
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The Senator's comment is outrageous.
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I call on the Minister of State with responsibility for defence to come to this House to debate this issue. It is a shameful act on the part of this Government to buy military equipment from the apartheid state of Israel. It is time that someone in Fine Gael had the backbone to stand up and make it stop.