Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. I would point out that in the case of Omar Barghouti, it is not merely a case of his travel documents not being renewed. His residency status is under review by the attorney general. There is a climate or an atmosphere that is very concerning in respect of the health and safety of this man and others who share his views. On 28 March 2016, an anti-BDS conference was held in Jerusalem at which a number of Israeli Government Ministers spoke, including Yisrael Katz, Minister of Transportation and Road Safety and Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy, who called on Israel to engage in targeted civil eliminations of BDS leaders. This is a phrase well known in Israel as code for targeted assassinations. Is the Minister prepared to go so far as to say that the Government recognises and accepts that Omar Barghouti is a human rights defender?

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