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GREEN PARTY LEADER Roderic O’Gorman has said a plan on how to progress the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban trade between Ireland and illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, could go before Cabinet as early as next week.
Government leaders sought updated legal advice on the Bill following an advisory ruling to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July that said Israeli settlements in occupied areas of Palestine breach international law.
Following a briefing by the Attorney General to leaders last night, O’Gorman and Taoiseach Simon Harris believe that legislation to deal with trade from occupied territories should be passed by TDs in this Government’s life time.
O’Gorman told reporters this morning that the Attorney General will be providing the three leaders with written advice later this week.
“I hope that we’ll be in a position to bring a plan as to how we go forward to Cabinet soon, maybe as soon as as next week,” he said. The minister added that it is a “legally complex” matter.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin signalled that more work might need to be completed on the legislation.
He outlined that the International Court of Justice identifies the occupation of Palestine as illegal and says states should not do anything that would support it.
“So that offers a more clearer way forward, although there are still challenges and the existing bill would need to be redrafted and amended very substantively,” he said, adding that there are still constitutionality issues.
“But definitely the ICJ changes the context in which one can proceed,:” he added.
The initial review of the law, which was originally drafted in 2018, was determining whether or not the trade ban fell in line with EU laws and treaties.
Speaking to reporters this morning, O’Gorman said: “It’s the Green Party’s position that Ireland shouldn’t be trading with the occupied territories. And we want to see that position advanced in the remaining lifetime of this Government.”
The Taoiseach agreed that he would like this Government to “make progress” on the Bill and that he is willing to work “across the political divide” to do so.
At a European Council meeting that the Taoiseach is due to attend this week, Harris said his message to European leaders will be very clear.
“We’re not going to wait for everyone in Europe to develop a consensus on this. If there’s more Ireland can do, Ireland will absolutely not be found wanting,” he said.
Recently councillors from Fine Gael, other Government parties and a coalition of parties from opposition, in both Cork and Dublin city councils, have passed motions calling on the leaders to pass the Occupied Territories Bill.
While Harris said Ireland is willing to take its own action, he said it is his preference that EU member states move together on the issue, though he admitted that “there has not been majority support for that in Europe”.
He said he and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez have consistently raised the issue of sanctioning Israeli settlements with the European Council, and will do so again in Brussels tomorrow.
The Tánaiste confirmed that not all parties in the EU are in favour of sanctioning illegal Israeli settlements, adding that some ministers at yesterday’s Foreign Affairs Council “are very strongly supportive of Israel no matter what”.
He detailed that the European ministers were “divided” and that it was “disappointing” that the group were unable to draft a statement condemning the attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon for two days.
“I think one member state held out. And that illustrates the challenges one has in respect of a revision of the EU Israel trade association,” he said.
The Tánaiste added: “But the majority of EU member states, the vast majority, want an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and also in Lebanon, and a de-escalation, because situation is very, very dangerous.”
The Occupied Territories Bill along with arms being supplied to Israel from countries such as the United States was raised in the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions today.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said: “Let us act now. Passing the Bill is the next step we must take. It would represent a real stand against Israel’s genocidal actions. The Taoiseach would have the support of all in opposition in this House and the Upper House.”
The Taoiseach responded: “We saw particularly vicious and despicable attacks and targeting of refugee camps and civilian targets over the weekend. This is deeply shocking. While all of this is going on, we cannot allow the world to forget about Gaza.
“We cannot forget about the fact that what I believe in is happening in Gaza is still a war on children.”
People Before Profit Richard Boyd Barrett rounded on the Taoiseach, asking Harris why the Taoiseach did he not publicly condemn the US for supplying arms to Israel.
“Why did he not tell the US that its military was not welcome in Shannon Airport while it was arming genocidal atrocities? What is he going to do to stop the munitions for these atrocities, massacres and crimes going through Irish airspace?” he asked.
Harris said he would not accept the charge that the government is not taking action in terms of calling out breaches of international law, standing up for human rights, supporting the people of Palestine, recognising the State of Palestine and supporting our peacekeepers.
“Quite frankly, I find it stomach-churning to hear Deputy Boyd Barrett suggesting we do not do that because that is absolutely what we do,” he said.
Boyd Barrett accused the Taoiseach of having a “quiet chat” with US President Joe Biden, while People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy continually asked if the Taoiseach specifically asked the US president to stop arming Israel.
Harris said he spoke to Biden for approximately 58 minutes, stating: “I know exactly what I spoke to the President of the United States about.”
The Taoiseach said he made the point to President Biden that he makes in public and private.
“All countries should use all levers to bring about a ceasefire and that includes the issue of weapons. I made that clear. On munitions, we are clear as to what can and cannot happen over Irish airspace. It is expressly prohibited for civilian aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. No such exemptions have been granted,” he said.
He confirmed that a Dáil debate on Irish airspace being used for arms ammunition transportation will take place.
With reporting by Christina Finn
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Noy worhty of the Journal.ie because Simon Harris said Sin Féin didn’t help an old woman cross the road and the Journal are running with that. If journalists think people care more about a Sinn Féin getting caught out than the cost of living crisis in this state, with no inflation to blame then it shows where their prorities are.
@Brian D’Arcy: They stopped taking people across roads after the Good Friday agreement, before that they helped plenty across various roads never to return ,your aul wan can count herself lucky Father.
@Brian D’Arcy: SF are finished, suck it up
@Fredrick Dooley: I suppose ffg are not finished also. You can blame SF all you like, they have not ruined this country.
It would be better for the eu to halt all trade with the war criminal state of Israel. The Germans need to get over what their ancestors done and push this forward.
@Alex: agreed. They are all jihad lunatics who would kill us all in the west. I am glad Israel are defending us and themselves.
@Alex: Vile stuff. Enjoying the slaughter of kids are we? One evil comment after another from you.
@SerotoninWars: maybe Hamas and hezbollah should have thought of that before launching 1000s of missiles into Israel
@Buster Lawless: Ignorant beyond all belief. Someone who spends too much time watching propaganda and has lost all their humanity. If dropping bombs on kids, shooting at peacekeepers and burning people alive is justice, maybe your moral compass is broken beyond repair.
@James Moylan: Yeah because that happened magically and in isolation didn’t it. Not off the back of being brutally removed from their homes with a legal system built to make sure the Israeli ‘settlers’ get off scott free. You just know all the Israel supporters would be apoplectic with rage if we were treated this way. But hey there’s a reason governments spend so much on propaganda. It clearly works even on members of populations who have faced grievous injustice in their own past.
@SerotoninWars: well said.
@Argus Romsworth: Germans need people who had nothing to do with the holocaust to pay the price in their behalf, they never changed despite their fake empathy
@SerotoninWars: the jihad crazies would kill our kids in an instant. Would you still defend them then?
@Fergus O’Donnell: Thanks Fergus. Absolutely unbelievable that people are happy to post comments calling for full scale genocide against multiple countries. I guess it’s easy and convenient to fall into football supporter myopia with one side all good and the other all bad. But these are human beings. I will never understand people who are so emotionally detached they’ve lost all sight of the suffering innocent people are enduring. You would need to be a psychopath to not be upset at the images of children with their family gone as they sit in the rubble, in tears. Sick sick world.
@SerotoninWars: “brutally removed from their homes” I assume you’re referring to 1948 when the Arabs tried to brutally remove Jews from homes they had legally bought. It backfired badly on the Arabs. Since then they have continued to pay the price for every conflict they start. Like someone crashing into a wall and expecting a different outcome each time.
Each side wants to exterminate the other. Only one side can win.
@Buster Lawless: You seem to be completely incapable of separating out individual groups and entire nations of people. It’s always the easy lazy option of ‘them’ and ‘all of them’ when you are talking about huge countries with tens of millions of people. Individuals not robots. But as ever it’s easy and comforting to divide the world into simple binary ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides. Like kids watching Ninja Turtles. This is adult land though and calling for the destruction of entire nations because you can’t be bothered with details and nuance is unforgivable in an adult. Anyone who will happily blow up kids is a monster. But to make out like this is the desire of entire countries with millions upon millions of individuals is ignorant beyond belief. You quite simply don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ve picked a team but it’s not a stupid football match.
@SerotoninWars: blindly defending iran/Palestine who are the same. Your gullibility knows no bound.
@James Moylan: only trying to finish what unfortunately Hitler couldn’t.
@SerotoninWars: do you believe everything Hamas tells you ?
@SerotoninWars: but hamas and Palestine also commit these atrocities but you condone them? Laughable and deluded rhetoric from you.
@Buster Lawless: must be weird then if the overwhelming majority of the world community are gullible. Was the child Isreal burned alive in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital yesterday while getting IV treatment also gullible?
@Eoin .h: very one sided argument
@Buster Lawless: stick with your sick paedo jokes. More your style when it comes to kids.
@Buster Lawless: fair enough, Hamas committed war crimes. They’re a drop in the ocean compared to the continuous war crimes Israel have been committing since their state was founded. They lie, cheat and steal. When being held accountable, they send threats to members of the ICC. All they know is threats and violence, although it’s only ever targeted at people who cannot defend themselves or retaliate in the same way. They flaunt the Bible when it suits them then make a mockery of it with their actions. The world sees them for what they are, a fascist, racist, apartheid state. How’s that?
@SerotoninWars: you are a vile creature and condoner of terrorists
@Alan: get that rod out of your hole colonel stiff
@J B: Good points. These clowns are deluded and would have us all speaking Arabic.
@James Moylan: What about the west bank,you okay with what’s happening there.
@frank dowling: Are hamas in charge of the west bank,education is no burden.
@J B: Where did he say he supported hamas or hezbollah.
@SerotoninWars: Would you ever get off your soap-box, and give everyone a break!
@SerotoninWars: Would you ever get off your soap-box, and give people a break!
@Buster Lawless: Nope. I’ve condemned the Hamas attack multiple times on this very site. Most people can tell the difference between self-defence and the indiscriminate obliteration of innocent people. People hiding in hospitals, schools and the multiple places they were told they would be safe only to be blown apart and maimed. This has gone way beyond self-defence. You know it. We all know it. You’re just happy to see it happening as your feelings about certain races and religions have been made abundantly clear. Repeatedly.
By your logic the Irish should have been carpet bombed to kingdom come because of the relatively small number of IRA members. I’ve clearly hit a nerve anyway based on the number of insulting replies. Maybe if you think a little further down the line when this is playing out in human rights courts, you might be wincing at your ‘it’s coming home’ levels of blind support for the obliteration of human life happening in front of our eyes.
@J B: I never said I support anyone who commits these type of crimes against humanity. I pointed out that these things don’t happen in a vacuum. Big difference between saying these actions are justified.
What happened on Oct 07th was appalling. Unfortunately human history tells us that violence is nearly always the end result of oppression. Whether we like it or not.
Israel is using their military, backed to the hilt with weapons from abroad to obliterate civilian populations. You don’t get a free pass to indiscriminately kill whoever you like, even during war. There’s a reason ‘war crimes’ are being mentioned left right and centre.
There are several ‘respectable’ figures in world politics right now who are going to have their legacy’s trashed when the dust settles. You can’t keep a conveyor belt of weaponry going that’s main purpose is to obliterate civilian populations and expect history to look kindly on you. A handful of terrorists caught in the endless explosions doesn’t justify this.
@Brian Hunt: some things need to be said to counter the racist ghouls in the Journal comment section, and Serotinwars is saying them
@Buster Lawless: A most beautiful language actually.
@Buster Lawless: a big jimmy saville enthusiast? Gave away the game with your earlier posts. There for all to see
@Alan: The dregs of the journal comment section can’t differentiate between fighting against armed combatants and slaughtering civilian populations by the scores of thousands in the space of one year. Not a shred of humanity in the lot of you combined
@Alan: you idolise the kkk so stop with your garbage. Reported
@Darth O’Leary: back to the IRA with you lunatic
@Eoin .h: people seem to over look there has been always a jewish presence in that area. At least 43 historical villages with mostly jewish population. Its really only since araffat decided to fund terrorist organisations using money from his personal accounts. Remember the oslo accords , where Israel agreed to pay all vat on purchases by Palestinians to the Palestinian government, it went directly into his account. Telling the Palestinian people he was going to rid the land of Israel, but publicity sayijg they had a right to exsit. On his death arrafat had nearly 1.3billion in assets/money. IMF found 900million of states funds found its way into an account controlled by arrafat and his right hand man. As yes lets blame one side for everything
@SerotoninWars: you do know that hamas hesbollah etc trade is hiding among the civil population, sniping from behind schools hospitals etc they don’t care about anybody or anything else, they will quite happily put their own people at risk to make israel look guilty….
Say whatever you like about the Israeli Government but it looks after the interests of the Israeli people first and foremost . The Israeli Government makes no apology to anyone for doing so and that is as it should be . If only Irish politicians looked after Irish people in the same way instead of ignoring the concerns of native Irish people in order to dump asylum seekers/refugees where they are not wanted we would have a great country here .
@Jim Ryan: Yeah I’d prefer Ireland not to look after us “in the same way” which includes indiscriminate bombing of civilians & blatantly taking others land to put their own people on it. For years we were the refugees, the immigrants & we expected the world to welcome us & give us a chance. But now we’re unable or unwilling to do the same to others who are in need? How quickly we forget our own history.
@Jim Ryan: awful long way to say you’re willing to turn a blind eye to war crimes and apartheid. Just say you’re a racist, we get enough hand wringing from our so called leaders.
@Jim Ryan: You want Ireland to commit war crimes,commit genocide,break international law and shoot at UN soldiers,I’m native Irish and I know the history of my country and yes I want our government to look after people in need and treat them better what happened the native irish along history.
@Susan Walsh: Well said Susan. Unfortunately some of our Einstein’s have gorged on so much US and British trash media, they can’t even tell the difference anymore. Useful fools parroting the kind of rhetoric the Steve Bannon’s of this world set out in detail years ago. They probably think their thoughts are their own and original too! Nope, just the end result of a massive global propaganda campaign to turn everyone into ethnonationalist ghouls.
@Susan Walsh: Yes the Irish people went all over the world fleeing famine etc . Mostly they went to countries with larger land areas and/or bigger populations than Ireland . In the last 20 years Ireland has been flooded first with Poles and since then we’ve had Syrians , Africans , Brazilians , Ukrainians and all the rest of them making their way here . Ireland in 2024 is not the country that I grew up in . Immigration hasn’t improved the country , it is destroying Ireland and our Irishness . Irish politicians speak about “our International Obligations” to refugees , asylum seekers etc. but you won’t hear any politician from the Government Parties or from most Opposition Parties in Leinster House speaking of their obligations to the Irish people who elected them .
@Jim Ryan: Ah right!
That justifies israeli atrocities, israeli war crimes, israeli genocide, israeli crimes against humanity in your “mind” then?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Israel is as tough as it is because Israel HAS to be that tough . Just one example , in 1967 Israel’s neighbours Egypt , Syria and Jordan were going to live the dream and wipe Israel off the map . Unfortunately for them things didn’t go to plan . The Israeli Defence Forces under the command of General Moshe Dayan beat the living crap out of the 3 enemy countries in just 6 DAYS . Israel just has to be as strong and as tough as it is because Israel’s enemies will show no mercy .
@Jim Ryan: So?
Nothing you are saying justifies the evil that is Israel.
@Jim Ryan: who do you want us to attack. Maybe you want the British back
@Jim Ryan: Ah yes we were….refugees. Kinda like the people who are fleeing famine & war to Ireland now & claiming refugee status, yes? Ireland in 2024 isn’t the country I grew up in either but that is what happens with global travel and evolution. Things change. I knew literally 1 black girl my age when I was a small child. Multi-cultural we were not. Now there are many different races here & a large number embracing both their own traditions and Irish ones and merging them. Kinda like how the Catholic church merged our celtic, pagan festivals with their own to have things like Halloween.
Say whatever you like about the Israeli Government but it looks after the interests of the Israeli people first and foremost .
@Jim Ryan: I’m pretty sure people said the same thing about a certain German regime
Something so obviously correct in every way and we’re dragging our feet as usual.
@Gerry Campbell: Occupied to try and make defendable borders against constant murderers attacks. They pulled out of Gaza and the Hamas massacres followed. No easy answer but killing creates killing response.
@thomas molloy: Any impartial observer would conclude that any race living surrounded by people who want to massacre them will circle the wagons to save themselves from killers. The sea on one did and the River Jordan on the other is understandably in their dangerous circumstance.
@thomas molloy: They pulled out of Gaza .. sure .. and shut its land, air and sea borders .. it forcibly keeps the Palestinian people in this” open air prison” (human rights watch) A 16 year blockade which severely limits imports and bans nearly all exports.. They pulled out to save money on army presence there and found it easier to just hem them in like animals .. Your assessment of the situation lacks serious context and consideration of the situation. And you again, like so many others,you omit the fact that the Isrealis occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal under international law .. but we all see what Isreal thinks of International law and institutions.. from aid agencies to peace keeping forces.. Far right butchers at the helm in Isreal.. plain and simple.
@thomas molloy: Hamas aren’t in charge of the west bank.
Why no mention of rodders defunding vital work highlighting the gross incompetence & short comings of Tulsa?
I can’t wait to vote Rodders out !
@frank dowling: I can’t wait till the world stands up to the nazi Israel state.
@frank dowling: Woderic is woeful!
The only thing that might have an impact on Israeli government campaign of genocide, collective punishment and flouting of international law is by making sure that there are serious economic consequences -like minded fellow European countries need to join together otherwise the EU will be just a toothless poor man’s version of the United Nations
Germany the second biggest supplier of weapons to Israel in the world after the USA have a vested interest in trying to ensure that they give cover to the atrocities carried out by the Israeli government and continue to obstruct and effort to bring about economic sanctions by the EU
@Chaotic State: That would be a good start.
Hauling a bunch of them before The Hague would be another step.
He’s lying .
Government deliberately put the go slow on it with the consent of the Greens.
This is lip service and nothing more.
@Fergus O’Donnell: One comment I can agree with, there won’t be a cabinet meeting next week as the election will be called on Thursday.
lets face it, if Isreal didn’t invest so much in defense, e.g. Iron dome, we wouldn’t be having this conversation as the Palestinians et al would have wiped Isreal off the planet. There are no good sides in this conflict and we should stay well out of it.
@The next small thing: Ya just let war crimes,genocide,breaking international law and shooting at UN peacekeepers,hide away,forget our history.
@The next small thing: israel only exists because racists colonised Palestine, attacking the Palestinian to drive them off their land to steal it for themselves, continuing its genocidal crimes against humanity to this day, in full view of the world.
The Palestinian is the descendant of those who have lived there since time immemorial. They are the true people of that land.
Who cares
@FlipBip: meanwhile in endless traffic…
@FlipBip: Humans.
Those of us with a thing called empathy.
Wait, one member state refused to condemn Israel attacking peacekeepers? Who was it?
I’m guessing either Germany or Hungary.
@Rochelle Hart: The Germans will let Israel do whatever they want.
@Daniel Roche: if germans are the role models, israel are getting there slowly but surely
@Daniel Roche: The Germans won’t just ‘let’ Israel do whatever they want. They’ll enable them to do whatever they want as they’re the biggest weapons supplier to Israel after their parent country the US.
@Uí Braonáin: There are reports just now that Germany has banned arms sales to israel.
@Rochelle Hart: We need to be told which country.
We can then begin a boycott of that country, which might encourage them to rethink.
@Buster Lawless: you support the Israeli war criminals murder women and children? You are not worthy of been regarded as human.
@J B: Yes they did and that was wrong. But Israel then bombing Palestine, Lebanon & Iran is also wrong. An eye for an eye & the whole world ends up blind. I would have thought people in this country would have the memory of the Troubles to remember how that level of tit for tat didn’t achieve anything in the long run except death.
@J B: Hamas aren’t in charge of the west bank,fact checked for you.
@J B: According to israelis.
Who – like Russians and US Republicans – lie, and lie, and lie.
Genocide for slow learners
We should be thanking Israel for protecting us from bloodthirsty Jihadis
@Fredrick Dooley: Those “bloodthirsty Jihadis” are created and funded by Saudi Arabia, a supposed ally of The West. Examples are Al Qaida, Boku Haram, ISIS and the multitude of individual terrorists attacks that were generated in Saudi Wahabi indoctrination centers throughout Europe and the world.
The Palestinian who is fighting israeli atrocity, israeli genocide, israeli crimes against humanity get their support from Iran – which has not attacked The West – and all decent people worldwide.
Save the children from israeli terrorists
I see Fianna Fáil have now done a 180 and turned their backs on the bill. For anyone who wondered which one of FG/FF moved on the political spectrum to join the other.
What a shower
Finish the job Israel drain the swamp
@Susan Walsh: must of missed the rte news bulletin where Israel bombed Iran
@James Brennan: Apologies they just assassinated someone in Tehran which is the capital of Iran. I mean they at least didn’t indiscriminately kill civilians in the same way as other places so we should be grateful.
The rape capital of the Middle East
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e-XtLKMu0wI
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