Government fails to enact Palestine measure

The refusal of the Dublin government to use parliament time offered up by the opposition parties to pass long-delayed legislation on Palestine ahead of the general election has been condemned as “disgraceful”.

Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats had put time aside in the Dáil this week to enact the Bill. The Bill, tabled and adopted by TDs in 2018 to ban trade with illegal settlements, has been blocked for years in the legislative process. It emerged last month that the current Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, had briefed Israeli officials that the legislation could be derailed by a procedural method known as a “money message”.

It also emerged this week hat the US ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin had warned Ministers of “consequences” for the Irish operations of high tech multinationals if the bill was passed.

A recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which stated that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal under international law and states have an obligation not to facilitate it, has increased pressure for the bill to be passed.

But Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin had claimed the Bill needed to be “re-examined” and amended to comply with legal advice, an explanation dismissed by critics as another exercise in stalling.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Matt Carthy TD said that neither Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael could be trusted to advance any meaningful sanction against Israel and that they are “taking the people for fools”.

“They have lifted the money message block yet refuse to accept Sinn Féin’s offers to facilitate the passage of the legislation before the Dáil is dissolved,” he said.

“This bill should have been passed a long time ago. It could still be passed this week if the political will was within government.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have had six years to prepare any amendments they feel are necessary. Arising from the Tánaiste’s remarks today many will fear that the reason they won’t advance this bill before the election is because their intended amendments will gut the substance of its purpose.

“Israel has been in gross violation of international law for decades. It has been conducting a genocide in Gaza for over a year.

“There must be consequences and Ireland must take the lead. It is clear that neither Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael are willing to show that leadership.”

Meanwhile, Lawyers in Ireland have given the Irish government 14 days notice of their intention to take legal action if Ireland does not immediately suspend all military and dual-use trade with Israel, along with the use of Irish airspace for the transport of weapons to the Israeli Army.

It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish airspace without an exemption from the transport minister.

News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have transited Irish airspace since October 2023.

A claim by the government that it is planning to introduce new powers to allow inspections of US aircraft suspected of carrying weapons has been rejected as an exercise in spin - the same measure was introduced during the Iraq war when there were concerns about flights of extraordinary rendition, but it was never exercised.

A legal action over the transportation of Israeli weapons through Irish skies looks set to force the matter.

Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law said outside Government Buildings las week: “This is a formal legal notification to the government today to take the steps necessary to comply with international law and, in particular, their obligations under the Genocide Convention.

“The Government has 14 days from today to comply with those international obligations.

“We look forward to hearing from them in the near future.”

Urgent Appeal