Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) has released a statement in reaction to various Dáil motions regarding the imposition sanctions on Israel and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland.
The union is “greatly disappointed in the outcome of the Dáil motion” in which Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and the Green Party voted neither to expel the Israeli ambassador nor to refer the Israeli attacks on Gaza to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Sinn Féin’s motion to refer Israel to the ICC was defeated by 80 votes to 60, with Fianna Fáil owing their decision to the fact that “the situation in Palestine has already been referred to the ICC”. Mary Lou McDonald TD labelled this stance “a cop out, and a dangerous one at that”.
The Social Democrats’ proposed motion to expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland failed to pass, with the Government’s countermotion on the issue passing by a margin of 30 votes. A number of independent TDs voted with Government.
These votes were taken shortly after a pro-Palestinian protest, attended by over 1,000 people, took place outside Leinster House. Speakers at this event included Holly Cairns TD and Richard Boyd Barrett TD.
TCDSU further condemned “violence in all cases”, stating that “the breaches of international humanitarian law by Israel are unacceptable”.
“Millions of Palestinians […] live in cruel and humiliating conditions, deprived of basic human necessities […], with the ongoing genocide leaving 10,000+ dead”, the statement said.
“Israel has been recognised as an apartheid state by multiple human rights organisations across the globe. We must call for a ceasefire and end this senseless violence”, the statement continued.
They concluded in calling for “students to stand for peace and against apartheid” by attending “a national demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza” organised by the Union of Students in Ireland, set to take place this Saturday at the Garden of Remembrance.
