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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Occupied territories Bill and Gaza

Summary

Deputy Cummins welcomed the promised memo on the occupied territories Bill and described the devastation and starvation in Gaza. The Tánaiste agreed the situation was horrific, blamed Netanyahu's Government for war crimes, and said he was meeting Senator Black about progress on the Bill.

The Tánaiste said he will bring a memo on the occupied territories Bill to Cabinet next week. This is a long overdue but welcome step in aligning Ireland's trade policies with our values on human rights and international law. Not a grain of rice, drop of water or vial of medicine has entered Gaza for months. A trickle of aid has now been allowed in, but the Israeli Government is preventing it from being distributed. We all see the distressing images of emaciated children and their desperate parents every day. Gaza is a hellscape and the relentless slaughter and suffering is just incomprehensible and unbearable. All this is happening while we are waiting for the Government to publish the occupied territories Bill, which does not ban the trade of services. Why is the Government diluting the occupied territories Bill in this way? Why is it taking so long?

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Simon Harris The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I agree with the Deputy in many ways on the description she has given of the horrific situation in Gaza, but the reason that is happening is not because we have not passed the occupied territories Bill; it is because Benjamin Netanyahu's Government is engaging in war crimes, and it needs to stop. It needs to stop right now; it needs to stop today. The aid, including aid funded by Irish taxpayers, needs to get into Gaza. I am meeting Senator Black today for a follow-up meeting on the occupied territories Bill. I find her to be a very sincere person who just wants to get progress here and is not precious, for want of a better word, with regard to who brings the Bill forward. I do want a Bill that is legally robust. I do not want a Bill that makes us think we are doing something but falls at the first challenge. I do not have a policy difference, by the way, with anybody in this House who wants to include services and goods. I do have a legal difference, but I am happy to tease that out with people. I am also happy to be proven wrong on it, but I do need to tease that through as well.

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