Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, it is very important. That section is added under three stars, inexplicably, with no context provided as to what the Israeli Government, as distinct from its people, had done just two days before that. On 6 October, it designated six prominent Palestinian human rights organisations as terrorists. I will explain this to the Minister of State if he will listen, although I know it is difficult. It was not raised in the Council, but two days before the meeting, six prominent Palestinian human rights and civil society groups were designated as terrorist organisations under a 2016 Act by the State of Israel.

I know the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, is from yesterday on a four-day visit to the Middle East. He is travelling to Israel but will he raise this matter there? I welcome the fact Ireland is a signatory to a statement issued by 12 countries to ask Israel to reverse the decision to construct 3,000 settlements in the West Bank. It is good and positive. I also welcome the fact the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has expressed his concern about what is happening, particularly the organisations that have quite unacceptably been designated as terrorist organisations. We give Irish aid to these organisations and the Minister has expressed his concern in this regard. We want much more than concern. We want a call on Israel to reverse this decision immediately.

I am told the Minister has said there was no advance information on the designations. I find that difficult to understand but perhaps it is true. Two days before the Council meeting the designations were made but they were not mentioned there. I find that difficult to understand. I am asking for a public statement rejecting clearly Israel's designation of these organisations as terrorists. One of them helps children and it was formed in 1979, the year of the child, mind you. Here we are with that organisation designated as a terrorist organisation. I want the Government, in our name, to call on Israel to reverse this decision immediately and support Palestinians.

In the ten seconds I have left, I say that I am sick and tired of having to stand up here on different topics to say I am not anti-vaccination or aligned with people who are antisemitic. It should not be necessary to say that when we raise questions about human rights violations and a government acting in a manner that is absolutely appalling. I do not have the time to get into what the UN rapporteur said, with two of the people involved being Irish. There is clear misuse of anti-terrorist legislation to put this designation on human rights organisations.

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