Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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139. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he intends to submit a written statement to the International Court of Justice in respect of the planned advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27645/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On 30 December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 77/247, which included a request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ/the Court) to render an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territory since 1967. Ireland voted in favour of this resolution, which was supported by 87 UN Member States. In February, the ICJ set a timeline of 25 July by which UN Member States are invited to furnish information to the Court in relation to the questions before it.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Advisory opinions of the Court, while not legally binding, nevertheless carry significant weight and, therefore, contribute to the clarification of international law. While unlikely to resolve the complex and longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Court’s advisory opinion could provide a useful framework for future discussions and engagement with both parties.

Ireland is a firm supporter of the ICJ and, where appropriate, welcomes the recourse of States to its advisory role in clarifying questions of international law. Since joining the UN, Ireland has submitted written statements to the Court in five advisory opinion proceedings, including in the 2004 proceedings “Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

Following adoption of Resolution 77/247, I asked my Department to begin work on preparing a written statement. I plan to seek Government approval for the submission of that statement to the Court in advance of the July deadline.