Richard Boyd Barrett urges EU sanctions on Israeli settlements
Richard Boyd Barrett criticised Israel's treatment of Palestinian children and urged the European Union to impose meaningful sanctions over the expansion of Israeli settlements. He said Donald Trump's decision to endorse settlement expansion — including plans in Hebron — has undermined international law and requires firm EU action.
Call for EU sanctions
Richard Boyd Barrett echoed concerns raised by a colleague about the abhorrent treatment of Palestinian children and asked what the government will do to push the European Union to impose meaningful sanctions on Israel. He argued that without sanctions, words of concern mean nothing while illegal settlement expansion continues.
Claims of international law breaches
He said Israel flagrantly breaches the Geneva Conventions on transfer of populations and ignores UN resolutions on settlements. He warned that Donald Trump's shift in US policy has spurred settlement growth, pointing to planned large-scale expansion in Hebron and noting a young man has already been shot as the beginning of further problems.
EU decision-making and obstacles
Richard Boyd Barrett highlighted a practical obstacle to EU action — on defence and common foreign and security policy the EU acts by unanimity, and member states are divided on Israel. He noted meetings with President von der Leyen, said the government will follow votes at the next European Council, and that further steps could depend on the outcome of the UK elections and possible special council meetings in the new year. He referenced EU negotiators and trade officials as central to future talks on free trade and security.
Ireland-UK engagement and other remarks
On Brexit-related engagement, he proposed strengthening and restructuring the BIIGC and using the Good Friday Agreement Institution to ensure structured Ireland-UK engagement after Brexit. He said landing cards had not been discussed with the British government and that the Tánaiste is in Israel and Palestine pursuing deeper engagement. He added he had met the leadership of the Palestinian Authority in Dublin and condemned military coups wherever they occur, mentioning recent events in Bolivia.
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As well as the issue of Israel's abhorrent treatment of Palestinian children as described by Deputy MacDonald and I'd echo her question about what the government is going to do to raise this ongoing systematic denial of rights to children in breach of every sort of international law and standard but I also want to ask what is the government going to do to raise its voice and demand that the European Union take meaningful action and impose meaningful sanctions on Israel over its continued expansion of legal settlements which have been now spurred on by Donald Trump's decision to throw out 20 years of US policy never mind international law and the Geneva Conventions by endorsing the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements the most recent of which and is probably the first by-product of Trump's dangerous shift in policy is in Hebron where they are talking about a massive expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the city of Hebron. One young man has already been shot effectively as the start of the problems that are going to rise from this but given that Israel flagrantly breaches the Geneva Conventions on the transfer of populations, is flagrantly bleaching UN resolutions on the question of the expansion of settlements, where is the call from us to the European Union to demand sanctions? Because otherwise all the words mean nothing. If we continue to allow Israel to do this, to breach international law, to breach international human rights standards and yet Europe still extends them favour trade status, never mind refuses to impose sanctions on them, what are we going to actually ask the EU to do and start to do it loudly? I think that after Brexit we won't be in a position to meet British ministers in the way we do now, every three or four times a year at the Council of Ministers in Brussels or more frequently when it comes to the European Council. So one of the suggestions we are working on is to strengthen and restructure the BIIGC and to use that Good Friday Agreement Institution as a mechanism to ensure a structured engagement between the Irish government and the British government. And this is something I intend to pursue with the Prime Minister if he is re-elected or the new Prime Minister if there is one in the next couple of weeks. The matter of landing cards hasn't been discussed, to my knowledge, with the British government, but we will monitor any proposals as they develop. In relation to Israel and Palestine, I haven't had any engagement with the Israeli government or Israeli politicians, but I have met with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority when they came to Dublin. The Tajt, however, is actually in Israel and Palestine this week and is continuing his efforts to deepen our engagement in the region and help to bring peace to the territories. I think Deputy Boyd-Barrett asked about meaningful EU action like sanctions. The simple fact is that when it comes to issues like defence and common foreign security policy, the EU only acts with unanimity. And there won't be EU action, given that the 28 countries are not unanimous in their positions on Israel. Some being very pro-Israel and being very supportive of Israel and others being closer to the Palestinians. So without a move to QMV on foreign policy, I don't see any EU-wide sanctions being imposed or action being taken. I've met with President von der Leyen twice now and I hope she'll be able to visit Dublin soon. We'll be at the European Council next week, next Thursday and Friday, and we'll actually be watching the votes. The results come in on Thursday and Friday at the European Council, so it promises to be an interesting one. And the next steps will really depend on the results of the UK elections. But there is the possibility of a special council in January or February to set out the EU's negotiation guidelines for the next phase of talks, which is negotiations with the UK on the free trade agreement and security and political partnership. But that's all a few steps ahead because we don't yet know what the outcome of the UK elections will be next week. I think Lisa Barnier will remain in a role as a negotiator on behalf of the EU and Phil Hogan as Trade Commissioner will have a central role being the Trade Commissioner, given that a huge part of the future relationship is going to be free trade. In terms of Irish issues, at least I hope we'll still have the team of me, the Thónishtá and Helen McEntee in place for the next phase of discussions. And I think it would be very much in the country's interest that that be the case, given the context and competencies that we've built up over the past two and a half years in representing Ireland when it comes to Brexit. I'll have to be honest and say I haven't been following the events in Bolivia closely, but absolutely I would condemn any military coups wherever they occur.
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