Richard Boyd Barrett Calls for Sanctions and EU Action on Israel
Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett spoke about Israel's flouting of human rights and international law, urging the government to impose sanctions, end the Euro Trade Agreement and recognise a Palestinian state. He argued that Ireland could take unilateral action, citing Covid-19 travel measures as precedent.
Call for sanctions and recognition
Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett criticised the government for refusing to back measures such as France's Black's Occupied Territories Bill and for not fighting in a serious way for justice for the oppressed Palestinian people. He said the government has indicated it will not pass France's Black's Occupied Territories Bill which would actually impose some sanction.
End the Euro Trade Agreement
Barrett pressed the minister on why Ireland will not step up to insist that the European Union ends the Euro Trade Agreement that gives preferential trade status to Israel or recognise a Palestinian state. He rejected the defence that Ireland cannot act unilaterally because it is part of the European Union.
Covid-19 precedent for unilateral measures
He invoked the Covid-19 response to argue that EU states have already taken unilateral measures on travel restrictions that were not uniform across Europe. Barrett asked why similar emergency action could not be taken in response to what he described as the annexation of Palestinian land.
Minister's response and legal advice
The minister replied that Barrett's proposals were more about protests than real change and said the government will not make decisions contrary to its legal advice. The minister reaffirmed that the government's position in relation to the Occupied Territories Bill is based on legal advice.
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I have to say to Deputy Costolo, he's in the wrong government if he's looking for legal action on Israel's flouting of human rights, international law or a government that's actually going to fight for in any serious way for justice for the oppressed Palestinian people because the government has said he will not pass France's Black's Occupied Territories Bill which would actually impose some sanction. I don't understand Minister why you won't or indeed why you don't step up and insist that the European Union ends the Euro Trade Agreement which gives preferential trade status to Israel or recognise a Palestinian state and just before you say oh we can't take unilateral action because we're part of the European Union it is worth saying that we've learned something else in Covid-19 that states are within the European Union able to take unilateral action on travel restrictions which aren't uniform across Europe. So if we can do it in the emergency of Covid-19 why can't Ireland do it in the emergency of the annexation of Palestinian land? Thank you Deputy Deputy Barrett as usual is calling for things that are more about protests than real change. I am not in the business of making decisions as a government minister that is directly contrary to the legal advice that the government has and you know very well Deputy that that's the position in relation to the Occupied Territories Bill. Thank you very much.
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