How many innocent Palestinian does Israel has to slaughter? Irish MP questions government
Dublin: In a powerful exchange within the Irish Parliament, Member of Parliament Richard Boyd Barrett confronted Prime Minister Leo Varadkar over Ireland's response to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Boyd Barrett condemned Israel's actions, labeling them as war crimes and genocide, and called for immediate international sanctions and accountability.
Varadkar, in response, stressed Ireland's commitment to promoting peace and justice in the region, advocating for a two-state solution and collaboration with the European Union, the United States, and Middle Eastern nations.
In his speech on October 24 in the Irish Parliament, Richard Boyd Barrett, raised a poignant question to the Prime Minister of his country, stating, "How many innocent Palestinian civilians, men, women, and children, does Israel have to slaughter? How many war crimes does Israel have to commit? How much death and destruction does Israel have to visit upon the people of Gaza and Palestine before you will call for and impose sanctions on Israel and expel the Israeli ambassador from this country? How much longer will the international community turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Palestinians?"
He continued, asserting, "We cannot ignore the gravity of the situation. The world must hold Israel accountable for its actions. The continuous loss of innocent lives demands immediate attention. The international community must step in and demand justice for the Palestinian people."
He further emphasized the necessity of international intervention, saying, "It is our moral duty to stand against the atrocities being committed. Israel's actions cannot go unpunished. We must call for and impose sanctions on Israel, expel the Israeli ambassador from our country, and urgently refer Israel to the International Criminal Court for its crimes against humanity and war crimes."
He highlighted the undeniable facts surrounding Israel's actions, stating, "In front of the world, by their own admission, Israel is committing war crimes. This isn't a matter of opinion; they have declared their intention publicly. Israel is displacing more than a million Palestinians from their homes in Gaza, ethnically cleansing them, which constitutes a crime against humanity. They have publicly stated their intention to deny 2.2 million people access to water, electricity, medicine, and life-saving equipment. These atrocities are unfolding before the eyes of the world, and they continue unabated."
He continued, expressing deep concern over the ongoing violence, saying, "Every minute, children are being slaughtered by Israeli artillery in a relentless bombardment of residential complexes, hospitals, schools, and civilian infrastructure. The gravity of these actions cannot be overstated. The international community must recognize the urgency of the situation and take immediate steps to address these egregious violations of human rights."
He lamented, "They just go on and on, and you do nothing. Nothing but words of concern, yet no action to hold them to account. It is undeniably premeditated war crimes and genocide. Scholars and academics, including Jewish people in the United States, Canada, and around the world, have labeled these actions as genocidal."
Quoting Israeli officials, Boyd Barrett revealed the shocking rhetoric used by some in power, stating, "An Israeli General brazenly declared, 'Human animals must be treated as such; there will be no electricity and no water, there will only be destruction.' A minister openly stated, 'We are fighting human animals; we will act accordingly; we will remove every restriction on the IDF.' Another minister, Smotrich, asserted, 'There is no such thing as the Palestinians.' Furthermore, the President of Israel referred to the people of Gaza and said they are all responsible."
He went on to mention a significant incident, saying, "Before October 7th, Netanyahu appeared in front of the UN General Assembly with a map of Israel that had removed all references to Palestine, a clear declaration of intent to destroy the Palestinian people and steal all of their land."
In response to Richard Boyd Barrett's concerns about the situation in the Middle East, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar emphasized the need to protect innocent lives, both Palestinian and Israeli. He expressed his condolences for the Israeli citizen who lost her life due to violence in the region and highlighted the importance of multilateral actions in addressing the crisis. Varadkar stated that individually imposed sanctions would not be effective and underscored the significance of keeping lines of communication open with countries involved in the conflict, including having ambassadors in place.
Varadkar condemned collective punishment and hostage-taking, affirming Ireland's stance against targeting civilian infrastructure. He also acknowledged Hamas's objective, which he described as seeking the destruction of Israel, raising concerns about the existence of a Jewish state established by the UN.
In response to Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's comments, Richard Boyd Barrett retorted, asserting the world's responsibility in addressing the harsh realities of the Israeli regime. Barrett pointed out, "The world is responsible for failing to call out the reality of the Israeli regime. It is an apartheid regime that was established through the ethnic cleansing of 750,000 Palestinians. This regime continues its policies of ethnic cleansing on a daily basis, particularly in East Jerusalem and across the West Bank, regardless of the presence of Hamas."
He went on to provide historical context, stating, "Even in the absence of Hamas, back in 1987 during the First Palestinian intifada, young people rose up because their entire future had been stolen from them. They faced severe oppression under the Israeli regime and military. At that time, there was no Hamas; there was no significant Palestinian resistance organization. Yet, Israel responded to their legitimate grievances with brutality, murder, administrative detention, and ethnic cleansing. These actions have persisted day in and day out."
Boyd Barrett criticized the lack of acknowledgment from governments, including Varadkar's, regarding the Israeli regime's apartheid policies and ongoing ethnic cleansing. He argued, "Your government refuses to even label them as an apartheid regime, let alone acknowledge the war crimes and ethnic cleansing that numerous human rights organizations have pleaded with you and European governments to address. The world has given Israel the license to conduct the savagery we are witnessing today. They are responsible for the crimes we are witnessing. If we genuinely want to end these senseless deaths, we must hold Israel accountable for its actions."
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar further clarified Ireland's role in promoting peace and justice in the Middle East. He highlighted the importance of collaboration with the European Union, the United States, and other countries in the region such as Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. He also advocated for a new peace initiative and a two-state solution, emphasizing the need for normal contacts and economic relations between Palestine and Israel.
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Noida workers' protest turns violent; govt steps in, political blame game erupts
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Noida/Lucknow (PTI): Vehicles, including police SUVs, were torched, public property vandalised, and stone-pelting reported from industrial hubs in Noida on Monday as protests by factory workers demanding a wage hike turned violent, paralysing traffic.
The Uttar Pradesh Police used mild force to disperse the agitators and later registered FIRs against two X handles, charging them with spreading rumours linked to the unrest. The state government also formed a special panel to address the crisis.
Violence was first reported in afternoon, with sporadic stone-pelting and vandalism continuing till 5 pm. No major incidents of arson or violence were reported thereafter, officials said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assured support to the worker community and said Uttar Pradesh was progressing steadily, but "some people were conspiring to obstruct its growth". His remarks drew sharp criticism from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who flagged an intelligence failure and said the CM should step down if unable to handle the state.
The unrest, which began in the morning, left thousands of commuters stranded on key routes leading to Delhi during peak hours. Long queues of vehicles stretching several kilometres were reported at the Delhi-Noida border, with major congestion at Sector 62, National Highway-24, Sector 63 and the Chilla border. Protesters blocked key routes, including stretches connecting Sector 62 to Sector 16 and NH-9.
Officials said a large number of workers from industrial units in Phase-2 and Sector 60 gathered to press for long-pending wage revision demands and raised slogans.
Similar protests were reported from Sector 62 and Sector 84, including at a Motherson company unit. NH-9, a key link between Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh, was also blocked.
The protests soon escalated, with some protesters torching vehicles, vandalising property and pelting stones.
Officials said workers had been mobilising support for their demands on a wage hike and better working conditions in factories over the last two days. However, it was not clear what sparked the violence during the protest.
Heavy deployment was rushed to affected areas, while senior administrative and police officials remained on the ground to monitor the situation.
"The situation is under control and being continuously monitored. Efforts are being made to counsel the workers and maintain peace. Minimum force is being used wherever necessary to maintain law and order," police said, urging people not to pay heed to rumours.
The protests triggered widespread traffic snarls across Noida and Greater Noida. Traffic police said diversions were put in place and movement was gradually being restored at key points, including the Chilla border and the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.
Commuters narrated their ordeal, with an office-goer, Prashant Shukla, saying he was stuck at the DND flyover for hours. "Vehicles were not able to move due to heavy traffic jams caused by the workers' protest. It took me nearly two hours to reach the office," he said.
Workers cited low wages and poor working conditions as the reason for the protest.
Gautam Buddh Nagar Additional Labour Commissioner Rakesh Dwivedi said workers are demanding a wage increase similar to what the Haryana government has given. "Besides, there are other issues as well, like overtime and food," he said.
A protester said that despite working 12-hour shifts, workers earn between Rs 11,000 and Rs 15,000, making it difficult to sustain a household. Another protester, Nakul Singh, alleged that companies were not paying overtime in accordance with norms.
A woman worker alleged irregularities in wage payments, saying workers are often made to sign for double shifts while being paid for a single duty. "Working conditions are often very difficult and need improvement," she said.
Another woman protester said, "Everything is becoming expensive, but our salaries remain around Rs 11,000-12,000. They should be increased to at least Rs 20,000-25,000."
The violence came a day after the state government announced measures to strengthen labour welfare, including mandatory double overtime pay, weekly offs and timely wages.
As the situation escalated, the chief minister, speaking at an event in Muzaffarnagar, assured workers of government support and urged them to maintain peace.
"I appeal to all the personnel employed in industrial units, as well as to the workers working with them, to recall how this 'double-engine' government stood by your side, something which you witnessed firsthand during the Covid period," he said.
Adityanath also cautioned workers against those trying to incite unrest.
"Do not let them succeed," he said, adding that "the government stands firmly with the workers and will provide security to entrepreneurs while simultaneously offering protection to every single worker."
He said the government is moving towards ensuring minimum honorarium and social security for workers and urged industrialists to maintain direct dialogue with employees.
Meanwhile, the state government constituted a high-powered committee to address the crisis and ensure coordination between workers, industry and administration.
Officials said the panel, comprising senior bureaucrats and representatives of workers' organisations and industry bodies, has reached Noida and will submit recommendations on priority.
"A thorough probe will also be conducted into any attempts by vested interests or political motives to disturb the atmosphere. Anarchy will not be allowed in UP, and appropriate solutions to the problems will be worked out," officials said.
The developments also triggered sharp political reactions.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav targeted the chief minister over remarks linking the protests to a conspiracy.
"If the honourable chief minister is calling the Noida workers' movement a conspiracy, was your intelligence police accompanying you during campaigning in Bengal?" Yadav said in a post on X.
"...If you can't manage the state, then step down -- otherwise, the public will throw you out," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister added.
He further alleged that inflation and "commission-driven dealings" had worsened the condition of families and said, "The BJP's double engine has turned into a trouble engine for the public."
UP Congress chief Ajay Rai also criticised the government, calling visuals from the protest sites "disturbing".
"When inflation is breaking people's backs, and workers are being exploited in the name of wages, the youth will be forced to come out on the streets," Rai said.
"Advertisements cannot fill empty stomachs. Tear gas shells cannot answer hunger. Stop ignoring the legitimate demands of workers and find a solution instead of resorting to repression," he added.
Amid the unrest, UP Police stepped up monitoring and warned of strict action against those behind the violence.
Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna said "provocative elements" and "external elements" are being identified.
"Firm legal action will follow once their identities are established," he said, adding that the situation is under constant surveillance from the police headquarters.
Police said adequate deployment has been made across industrial zones, with PAC, paramilitary forces and senior officers stationed at key locations.
Authorities reiterated that the situation is under control and efforts are underway to restore normalcy, while urging people not to believe rumours.
Noida Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh and District Magistrate Medha Roopam also inspected the violence spots, according to officials.
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