In the Seanad on Wednesday, Senator Michael McDowell roundly rejected all and any claims that the actions of Ireland, its Government, or its Houses of Parliament were motivated by, or amounted, to anti-semitism. Claims that Ireland’s position reflected anti-semitism, which he defined as hatred of Jews, were grossly defamatory and untrue. “Our position on Gaza is shared by many Israeli Jews, including a former Israeli Prime Minister.”
Referring to the appearance of former deputy, Alan Shatter, at an Oireachtas Committee, Senator McDowell cited a passage in a book written and published by Mr Shatter in which Mr Shatter had claimed that an accusation of “arrogance” made against him by Willie O’Dea in the Dáil was an “anti-semitic” trope.
“It is simply defamatory and untrue to assert that Ireland’s position on Gaza and recognition of the Palestinian state was motivated by anti-semitism or hatred of Jews.”
The Seanad later unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Senator McDowell in the following terms:
“That Seanad Éireann:
- condemns outright all of the violence perpetrated in and around the Gaza Strip from 7th October, 2023 to this time;
- condemns outright any proposal, including that of the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, for the displacement, concentration, or removal by the IDF of the population of the Gaza Strip to any restricted areas or places within the Gaza Strip, or for their expulsion or displacement to any other territory or state;
- reconfirms its support for a two-state solution for the Israeli- Palestinian conflict;
- calls on the Government to secure the earliest possible enactment of the occupied territories legislation;
- calls for the immediate, permanent and unconditional cessation of all military and paramilitary activity in the Gaza Strip and for the unconditional release of all hostages seized in the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on 7th October, 2023;
- calls for the immediate restoration under United Nations supervision of food, medicines and other humanitarian aid distribution for all civilians in the Gaza Strip;
- calls on all parties to the conflict and their international allies to abide strictly and completely by the requirements of international law;
- calls on the European Union and its member states to use all their capacities, including imposition of sanctions, to uphold international law to protect the people of the Gaza Strip from further suffering and death, and to vindicate the human rights of all civilians there.”
A full video of his contribution in the Seanad can be seen here