TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS has said the “very clear comments” from the Israeli government in recent days means “we are now very much in the space of genocidal activity”. 

Harris said that is a “statement of fact”, commenting that there has been a “consistent pattern of war crimes” from the Israeli government.  

Speaking on both Newstalk and RTÉ radio this morning, Harris said members of the Dáil should not be divided along political lines when it comes to the “genocidal actions” of Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza. 

He added that the Israeli government has been “very blunt” in outlining ”what it is intending to do in Gaza”.

The Tánaiste said the Israeli government has “dropped the pretense”.  

‘Warning shots’ 

Harris also addressed in incident in the West Bank in Palestine that occurred yesterday, when Israeli occupation forces fired in the direction of a delegation of EU diplomats, which included two Irish diplomats. 

“There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is the latest in a trend of intimidatory behaviour by the Israeli Defence Forces,” Harris said. 

The Israeli military apologised for yesterday’s shooting and said its soldiers had fired “warning shots”. 

Harris dismissed that explanation, saying: “Whether these are called warning shots or whatever nice words that the Israeli Defence Forces wish to try and put on it, they were still shots, and you do not fire shots at diplomats.”

Harris said the Israeli military would have been aware that a diplomatic mission was visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. 

“It’s a clear breach of law. It’s a clear breach of the obligation that Israel has to protect diplomats,” he said. 

“Do they think we’re thick? They knew diplomats were visiting the area… they knew they were there,” he said, stating that the IDF explanation is “offensive”. 

He added that the Israeli response “doesn’t really show the IDF understanding the scale and the gravity of what they did towards diplomats from a number of countries yesterday, including from Ireland”.

Harris said he had been in touch with the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas regarding the incident and that they have both called for an investigation.

“There must be accountability,” he said.

Occupied Territories Bill

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Harris was asked about recent comments by Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman regarding the government’s approach to progressing the Occupied Territories Bill. 

The government has faced consistent criticism for the length of time it has taken to bring the bill forward for legislative scrutiny. 

The original form of the bill would have banned trade in goods and services with illegally occupied territories, most notably from Israeli settlements in Palestine, which are illegal under international law. 

The government has blamed the delay on issues related to the constitutionality of the bill and the inclusion of services in the original version. 

Earlier this month, O’Gorman said that when he was in government, legal advice submitted by the attorney general made no mention of services being an issue.

O’Gorman accused the current government of introducing issues related to services as an excuse for delaying passing the bill. 

“It’s a delaying tactic,” he said.

Today, Harris said: “I don’t understand why we have to divide along political lines on genocidal actions that are happening right now in Gaza.”

Harris’ reference to Israel’s actions in Gaza being “genocidal” marks a departure from the language used by government officials since the war in Gaza began. The government has, so far, avoided using that language. 

“Nobody has a monopoly of concern,” he said.

“Nobody isn’t disgusted, appalled and outraged. And I think it’s about time everybody in Dáil Éireann puts their party jersey aside and pulls together here, and tries to take practical action. That’s what the people of Ireland want.”

Harris is to bring a memo about the bill to cabinet today, after meeting with the author of the original bill, Senator Frances Black.

He said he hopes the bill will reach committee stage before the Dáil’s summer recess in July. 

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