Tell us you admit there is no genocide in Gaza without actually saying there is no genocide in Gaza.
Ireland wants an expansion of the definition of genocide to bring home the enormity of what Israel is doing in Gaza, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil.
The Israeli Government, with its “far-right elements”, is “committing genocide in Gaza right now,” Micheál Martin said.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik echoed: “It is genocide.” She acknowledged, on the first anniversary of Ireland recognising the state of Palestine, that the Government has led on the issue.
The Taoiseach said Ireland, Spain and Norway had initiated recognition, followed by Slovenia, in partnership with the Arab states.
But he admitted that Ireland has failed to persuade many other countries that it targeted diplomatically to join the recognition initiative.
“We tried to get as many countries as we possibly could on board, and to persuade as many other EU member states ass possible,” Mr Martin said.
“We didn’t get as many as we wanted at the time.”
It is understood that Ireland believed it had commitments from more than twice as many countries as finally signed up, only for the numbers to wither away.
The Taoiseach added: “We’re hoping that we will broaden the criteria by which Genocide is judged by the Geneva Convention.”
Some countries have been claiming that Israel’s “slaughter” of Palestinians, as Mr Martin put it, does not constitute genocide, which means a policy of deliberate attempted extermination of an entire people.
This is called “moving the goal posts” – kind of like with UNRWA’s definition of what a “palestinian refugee” is, which is way broader than any other definition of refugee on the planet.
And if you wanted more proof there is no genocide…
Never in human history has the victim praised the "genocider" and side supposedly starving them.
— David Lange (@Israellycool) May 29, 2025
Just saying. pic.twitter.com/xo6Uz7LuRL
Meanwhile, still in Ireland:
While in Ireland, Jane and I enjoyed the opportunity of visiting with Irish President Michael D. Higgins, one of the outstanding progressive voices in Europe. pic.twitter.com/jG8yeXmEe0
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 28, 2025
Old and busted: Weekend at Bernie’s.
New hotness: Bernie at Bellend’s.
Our fundraising campaign ends in a few days and we still are well short of our target to keep Israellycool going:
