Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade

General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed)

2:00 am

Ms Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh:

Certainly, the point is that breaches by Israel of the fundamental principles and norms of international law, whether that be the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, whether it be genocide or whether it be apartheid, the fact of those breaches gives rise to obligations on the part of third states, including Ireland, to bring them to an end and not to aid and assist in the commission or maintenance of that unlawful situation. If Ireland does not abide by its own obligations not to aid and assist in those unlawful situations, it is itself in breach of its obligations and it can itself be challenged and held accountable for those breaches.