Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that an Irish Times poll which revealed that members of the public have become more cautious on the Occupied Territories Bill (OTB) in recent months is indicative of Irish people having a “considered view” on matters.
The Bill, which is being discussed by the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee and is due before the Dáil in the autumn, would ban trade in goods with the occupied Palestinian territories.
Thursday’s poll suggested voters are becoming more concerned about the proposed legislation, with almost half of all voters now favouring either not passing the Bill or investigating the possible consequences for Ireland before passing it.
Speaking during a visit to Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, this morning Mr Martin stressed that Irish people are “appalled” by what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank.
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When asked if the OTB could cause economic damage to Ireland, Mr Martin stressed that the Government does not want to “undermine Ireland” in any way.
“The Occupied Territories Bill does not in any shape or form propose a boycott of trade between Israel and Ireland but rather between trade with the occupied territories. That is an issue and does need consideration.”
Mr Martin acknowledged that there are “different perspectives” around the world in respect of the Middle East.
“The US have been strong supporters of Israel. We acknowledge that. At the last EU Council meeting almost every country wanted the war to stop. Every country accepted the catastrophe that Gaza now is. There is a need to stop the war,” he said.
Mr Martin also said he would reject very strongly any suggestion that there is “any hint of anti-Semitism in terms of the Irish position”.
Meanwhile, Minister for State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne has said Irish people and businesses are “right to be cautious” about the OTB.
Speaking on Morning Ireland on Friday, Mr Byrne said the Government is of the view that “under international law we’re obliged to do it” and stressed that it was “a limited measure”.
He said there is “very clearly a danger that this would be misrepresented around the world as somehow sanctions on Israel”.
“It’s not sanctions on Israel, rather it’s sanctions on illegally occupied territories. I think that’s something we have to make very very clear.”
However, he added, “The Irish people are right to be cautious because we are a trading nation and we do depend completely on trade with the European Union and on trade with the United States, so that’s why these issues are of supreme importance to us”.
He said the Government would “look at this very, very carefully” when moving forward with the Bill.
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More broadly, he said, the Bill has been discussed with his European counterparts, with “some good discussions with German colleagues, with my Austrian colleagues and with other colleagues as well about what we’re doing in relation to the Middle East”.
Mr Byrne suggested the Germans “in particular [are] very open about their position” as it relates to the history of that country, and said there were other countries “who have asked us for information on the Occupied Territories Bill” and were of the view that it should be dealt with at an EU level.
“Frankly that would be the best solution,” he said.
