Ireland should join proceedings against Israel – Carthy TD

A local TD has described the Irish government's refusal to join South Africa in proceedings accusing Israel of genocide as "unacceptable".

Deputy Matt Carthy contrasted the government's position on Russia and Israel and accused them of "double-standards".

“It is unacceptable that the Irish government have refused to join South Africa’s referral to the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention against Israel," said Deputy Carthy.

“Ireland made a referral to the ICJ against Russia in respect of the war in Ukraine. Sinn Féin supported that position.

“It smacks of the double-standards that have been evident since the war in Gaza began that governments, including Ireland, that made the referral against Russia now refuse to join the referral against Israel."

However the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has reportedly been reluctant to accuse Israel of genocide.

“I would be a little bit uncomfortable about accusing Israel, a Jewish state, of genocide given the fact that six million Jews – over half the population of Jews in Europe – were killed."

He added: “I would just think we need to be a little bit careful about using words like that unless we’re absolutely convinced that they’re the appropriate ones.”

However, the Taoiseach said he has been seeking a review of whether the human rights clause in the EU-Israel trade agreement and seeking progress with partner states in recognising the state of Palestine.

South Africa's legal action has deeply angered the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angrily rejecting the allegation insisting Hamas "would murder all of us if it could".

He asserted the Israeli army, the IDF is acting "as morally as possible".

It comes as Israel is already facing an investigation by the ICJ, initiated by the Palestinians, into its "prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of... Palestinian territory".

Deputy Carthy used statistics to compare the government's position on the two conflicts.

“Russia aggression against Ukraine has resulted in the killing of over 10,000 civilians, including 560 children, from a pre-war Ukrainian population of 43 million people, within 20 months. Russia must be held to account for it’s brutality.

“Israeli aggression in Gaza has resulted in the killing of 22,835 civilians, including almost 10,000 children, from a population of just 2.27 million in only three months. Israel must be accountable.

“The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has been coupled with collective punishment measures that have included the forced displacement of two million people and the denial of water, food, fuel and emergency supplies to the civilian population and a humanitarian and healthcare catastrophe that is worsening by the day.

“If the case for making a referral to the ICJ against Russia was strong, and it was, then the case for doing so in respect of Israeli aggression is beyond dispute.

“There must be a ceasefire, there must be sanctions, and Israel must be held to account.

“The Irish people have been horrified by the actions of Israel in Gaza and the failure of the international community to demand they stop. They have welcomed the strong words of the Irish government.

“But, words must be matched by actions.

“Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin must change course and agree to joining South Africa in their ICJ proceedings against Israel concerning violations under the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.”