Sinn Féin Senator Chris Andrews has said that Israel “regularly shows a complete disregard for human dignity or international law, and routinely assaults, abuses, and degrades its captives.”
Andrews was speaking after footage emerged of Israeli soldiers and Interior Minister Ben-Gvir physically assaulting and harassing activists kidnapped from the Global Sumud Flotilla, including Irish citizen Cathriona Graham.
“In response to this appalling treatment of Irish citizens and international human rights activists, the Irish Government issued a strongly worded press release,” Andrews noted.
“They have concrete options at their disposal to punish Israel, and yet are unwilling to offer anything beyond empty words of condemnation,” he asserted.
Andrews noted that “Israel’s actions and the Irish government’s inactions are nothing new.”
“Last October, Ben-Gvir and his henchmen held Irish activists kidnapped from the Global Sumud Flotilla at gunpoint in a jail cell while he abused and threatened them; the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs did nothing to punish Israel then, and they’re doing absolutely nothing now,” Andrews said.
Andrews was among the Irish citizens detained in last October’s flotilla, but were later released by Israeli authorities following pressure from European governments.
“Year after year and day after day, Israel commits unspeakable crimes against the Palestinian people. Thousands have been killed in Gaza and countless more have had their homes, lives, and futures destroyed by the Israeli war machine,” Andrews said.
“In the West Bank, Palestinians are subjected to an Apartheid regime, internment, and unrestrained violence by fascist Israeli settlers.”
“Our government knows full well that Israel does not respect the rule of law, but is simply too cowardly to hold them to account,” Andrews stated.
“They claim to be appalled by Israel’s actions, and yet last night they rejected a Dáil motion to impose sanctions on them; all they seem willing to offer are empty words and posturing.”
“If the Irish government had any backbone or desire to stand up for humanity, they would immediately pass the long-delayed Occupied Territories Bill, impose sanctions, and stop the Nation’s League game against Israel,” he said.