A Sinn Féin motion calling on the Government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill, to stop the importation of goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements, has been unanimously agreed by Dublin City Council.
The Bill was introduced to the Oireachtas in 2018 by Independent senator Frances Black, but previous Attorneys General had advised it was contrary to European Union trade law.
The Government has sought fresh legal advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning on the proposed legislation following a July ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the illegal settlements on Palestinian land.
The ICJ advisory opinion found Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are in breach of international law and that Israel’s occupation of those territories amounts to long-term annexation which has undermined the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
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The council’s motion coincides with the first anniversary of the October 7th attacks by Hamas on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people and precipitated a year of retaliatory attacks by Israel, which have killed more than 41,000 Palestinians.
A motion from most of the Independent councillors condemning both the October 7th attacks and the Israeli response was also agreed. Councillors agreed to request that Taoiseach Simon Harris convey the motion to US president Joe Biden during his visit to Washington this week.
The proposer of the Sinn Féin motion, Dáithí Doolan, said enacting the Bill would send a “clear message to Israel that there are consequences if they continue to pursue their policy of genocide”. It was an important step, he said, that “the largest local authority in the county was speaking in one voice and calling on the Government to move on this”.
Cieran Perry, on behalf of the Independent group, said he backed both motions and it was important the views of the Irish people were conveyed by the Taoiseach to Mr Biden that the US must stop funding the “genocide” perpetrated by Israel. “Our hearts are breaking watching the slaughter of children, women and men on a daily basis.”
Labour’s Darragh Moriarty said by sending a message that “no one can profit from occupied, stolen land” Ireland could be the first to take action and then “watch the dominoes fall”.
The Green Party’s Hazel Chu said passing the Bill “makes real our existing obligation under international law”.
Independent Malachy Steenson said he “fully support the motions” and said “we need to stop doing any trade with countries who are funding Israel or who are supplying them with weapons”.
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