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The Occupied Territories Bill

Finding excuses not to legislate

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.
Wed Oct 23 2024 - 00:06

Sir, – Having blocked the Occupied Territories Bill throughout its tenure, the current Government’s claim that legislation has suddenly become possible “in light of a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July” does not stand up to examination (“Occupied Territories Bill to come before Cabinet”, News, October 22nd).

Dáil motions and Government department reports have for years acknowledged the pressing need for Ireland to end its complicity in the Israeli state’s illegal settlement project, and have repeatedly committed to concrete action.

In May 2021, a motion clearly acknowledging that the Israeli state had illegally annexed parts of the occupied West Bank passed the Dáil unanimously.

This motion called on Ireland not to render aid or assistance in maintaining this situation.

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In July 2021, a Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence report called for concrete diplomatic and economic measures to be applied where the Israeli state violates international law, and again called on Ireland to not render aid or assistance which would facilitate the maintenance of annexation.

And still, even as the Israeli military starves and bombs Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip, the produce of the Israeli state’s illegal colonial settlements is still sold on Irish supermarket shelves.

On this basis, I do not have faith in Tánaiste Micheál Martin determination to find a “legal pathway forward”.

Once the general election has passed, should the parties of the current Government find themselves in power once again, four years of evidence suggests that they will be content with yet another talking shop and will find excuses not to legislate. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN Ó ÉIGEARTAIGH,

Dublin 4.