Motions on the war in Gaza

Two notices of motion on the war in Gaza came before last week’s meeting of Tipperary Co Council.

The first, in the name of Cllr Séamie Morris, stated:

“Tipperary County Council notes that both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have suggested that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza. Over 10,000 children have been killed in what Minister Simon Harris has described as ‘a war on children’.

“Leo Varadkar has stated that the failure of Israel to observe humanitarian law ‘can't be inconsequential’.

“War crimes also continue in the occupied West Bank associated with settlements that are illegal under international law. We note that hundreds of civilians have also been killed there (where Hamas is not in power), and a school funded by Irish money was demolished recently.

“As a local authority, we acknowledge that we can no longer stand by as complacent witness to ongoing war crimes and constant breaches of international law. There must be consequences and Ireland is best placed to lead the way, just as we did with apartheid South Africa.

“This council is requesting that Ireland should also exercise our right as a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to refer the actions in Palestine and Israel to the prosecutor of the court for the purpose of requesting an investigation into any acts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide that have occurred in Gaza over recent months.

“We further support the growing call to invoke the Genocide Convention. That Tipperary County Council re-echoes the call of Dublin local authorities in formally supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) against apartheid Israel, as a peaceful campaign for change.

“We therefore call for the enactment of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 and the illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023 as a matter of urgency.”

A second notice of motion in the name of Cllr Pat English read: “That Tipperary County Council request the Irish Government to support South Africans' case against Israel under the Genocide Convention before the international Court of Justice. Ireland must offer a meaningful stance against the horrors being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the Israeli Government and the denial of basic necessities of adequate water, food, electricity, shelter, medical care and supplies, which are also being withheld by Israel.”

There was no discussion on either motion at the meeting. The formal council was response was for both motions to be referred to An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and to Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence.

Local groups the Nenagh Friends of Palestine and Cloughjordan Palestine Justice welcomed both motions.