Government officials recently underlined the importance of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory regarding illicit Israeli settlements, as they anticipate legal counsel on the Occupied Territories Bill. Introduced by Independent Senator Frances Black in 2018, the Bill is designed to prohibit imports from Israeli settlements located on Palestinian lands.
Certain past Attorneys General suggested the Bill contradicted European Union trade legislation. The Government is presently seeking renewed legal advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning regarding this proposed law. Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste, remarked to the Dáil that they’re seeking more advice from Mr Fanning, taking into account the ICJ’s advisory, and considering the obligations the European Union faces over time.
The Tánaiste’s remarks were made in response to Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesman Matt Carthy, who noted that Martin had previously supported the Bill when he was in opposition. Last July, the UN’s supreme court stated that Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem violate international law. The court also noted that Israel’s long-term occupation impairs the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Thursday’s discussions saw Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman expressing that the Occupied Territories Bill would be an apt mechanism to penalize trade from unlawfully occupied territories. He added that receiving Mr. Fanning’s perspective on the implications of the ICJ opinion to EU law would be crucial during his briefing to the three leading Government parties.
Within the Dáil, references were made to accusations that appeared on The Ditch news platform. These allegations suggest that Paschal Donohoe, currently serving as the Public Expenditure Minister but previously the Finance Minister, had a covert telephonic conversation with his Israeli equivalent in 2019. It was suggested that in this clandestine communication, he confirmed the Irish Government’s commitment to vetoing the Occupied Territories Bill. These accusations supposedly came from documents illicitly released from Israel’s Justice Ministry.
However, Mr Martin rebutted these allegations after speaking with Mr Donohoe before he entered the Dáil on Thursday. Mr Martin insisted that Mr Donohoe categorically denied making any such phone call, a statement supported by the absence of any such record in his detailed diary entries. Mr Martin further emphasised that many are quick to form conclusions before comprehending the entire situation, a point illustrated by the clarity and firmness of Mr Donohoe in dealing with these allegations.