John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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I thank McLaughlin and Ms Moran for their opening presentations and all the work that we are doing within the Department of Foreign Affairs, through Irish Aid, and our efforts to support Palestinians in the occupied territories. I will pick up where we finished off the conversation with our previous witnesses, that is, around the destruction of donations from member states etc. Our previous guests outlined the compensation claim. They have lodged a claim in the amount of €625,000 for the destruction of aid that they have provided. We are part of that consortium and compensation claim. They outlined the process around that and the fact that it ultimately falls on the State to pursue that. Can I get an update on that specific compensation claim? Can I also have a broader overview of State-funded aid in the occupied territories, in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, that has been destroyed by Israel over, say, the past ten-year period? Can our guests put a cost on the amount of Irish aid that has been destroyed by Israel? What measures have been taken, apart from the compensation claim through the West Bank Protection Consortium? What compensation claim has been lodged with the Israeli authorities in relation to the destruction of that aid? We have seen demolition, and not only in recent times, in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Schools have been demolished in Gaza. It would be great to get an overview on that.

Our two previous witnesses stated that statements only go so far. They do not have a significant impact on the Israeli assault on the occupied territories and the forced displacements and illegal settlements continue.

A range of civil society NGOs have asked for more meaningful countermeasures and consequences. Has analysis been carried out in the Department on what countermeasures might look like?

We will have to agree to disagree on the matter of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. I know the response will be that the Attorney General’s advice is the Bill is not lawful but I will argue all day and night against that. Outside of that, what work has gone on within the Department to identify countermeasures that could be taken against Israeli actions? Will the witnesses outline what the countermeasures could look like?

As for the Government’s position on the two-state solution with a viable Palestinian state, what would a viable Palestinian state look like? Can the witnesses define that? Are we talking about the 1967 borders and if so, is the Government asking for the 680,000 illegal settlers in the occupied territories to leave? The Minister has spoken previously about creeping annexation and it is happening on the ground. Ms Moran should outline the Department's view on annexation. We know de jure annexation has happened and only last year, former US President Trump recognised the illegal annexation of the Golan and East Jerusalem. What measures were taken by the Government on the illegal de jure annexations I mentioned?

There is the question of the demolition of state buildings. What is the up-to-date position on the 53 schools that have been identified in the occupied West Bank earmarked for demolition and particularly the Ras al-Tin school, which was funded by European aid? Irish Aid may have been involved with it. What is the current position in respect of the demolitions there?

What impact might be had, were Ireland to follow through on the unanimous Dáil vote calling on the Government to officially recognise Palestine? What impact, if any, would there be, were we to follow through and officially recognise the state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital?

What more can the Government and the international community do to protect human rights and the right of life of Palestinians? Does Ireland support the investigation by the International Criminal Court into the human rights abuses and contravention of the Geneva Convention? What is the view on the recent remarks of the Israeli regime that it will not participate in the investigation?