Richard Boyd Barrett demands action on occupied territories bill
Richard Boyd Barrett challenged the minister over the government's failure to enact the occupied territories bill and accused it of yielding to pressure from Donald Trump and NATO. He said a Dáil motion required action before Christmas and argued the promised sanctions on the state accused of genocide were not being delivered.
Richard Boyd Barrett accused the government of following demands from Donald Trump and "the big military powers in NATO," saying this pressure had led to commitments on weapons spending, the removal of the triple lock and an erosion of neutrality.
He reminded the chamber that a motion passed in the Dáil asked for action on the occupied territories bill before Christmas and asked why that action had not been implemented.
The minister replied that the question appeared to conflate several issues and that he was unsure what was meant regarding NATO and Donald Trump. He said the Minister for Foreign Affairs had outlined the government's position in recent days on the occupied Palestinian territories bill and the prohibition on doing trade with that geographical area.
Richard Boyd Barrett framed the debate around sanctions, alleging the government broke a promise to impose measures on a state accused of committing genocide and questioned whether international pressure had prevented those sanctions. The minister said the government's position on the bill - and on prohibiting trade with the occupied Palestinian territories - had not changed.
Allegation of external pressure
Richard Boyd Barrett accused the government of following demands from Donald Trump and "the big military powers in NATO," saying this pressure had led to commitments on weapons spending, the removal of the triple lock and an erosion of neutrality.
Dáil motion and promised timeline
He reminded the chamber that a motion passed in the Dáil asked for action on the occupied territories bill before Christmas and asked why that action had not been implemented.
Government response
The minister replied that the question appeared to conflate several issues and that he was unsure what was meant regarding NATO and Donald Trump. He said the Minister for Foreign Affairs had outlined the government's position in recent days on the occupied Palestinian territories bill and the prohibition on doing trade with that geographical area.
Sanctions and policy consistency
Richard Boyd Barrett framed the debate around sanctions, alleging the government broke a promise to impose measures on a state accused of committing genocide and questioned whether international pressure had prevented those sanctions. The minister said the government's position on the bill - and on prohibiting trade with the occupied Palestinian territories - had not changed.
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Transcript
Minister, it seems when Donald Trump and the big military powers in NATO say to this government, tell you to jump, you say, how high? So we've had a chorus of voices saying we'll spend more on weapons, simultaneously we're going to get rid of the triple lock, undermine our neutrality. But when it comes to the promise the government made on the commitment on the occupied territories bill to impose sanctions on the state committing genocide armed by Donald Trump and the big powers in NATO, it seems now it's not happening. A motion was passed in this Dáil, which you let go through, which means the Dáil asked for it, that there would be action on the occupied territories bill before Christmas. Are you not doing it? Because Donald Trump and the powers in NATO have told you they don't want Israel sanctioned for its crimes against the Palestinian people. Thanks, Lasky-Ancora. I'm not sure what the question is there in relation to NATO, Donald Trump. There was a conflation of a lot of issues there. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has outlined the government's position as recently as in the last few days with regard to the occupied Palestinian territories bill and the prohibition of doing trade with that geographical area and the position of the government deputy hasn't changed.