John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said recently that one of the greatest injustices in the world today is the occupation of Palestinian lands and the continued expansion of settlements. I completely agree with the Minister. Unfortunately, those words mean nothing when we are prepared to support an agreement such as this. We are rewarding the brutal oppressor of Palestinian people, the continued illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and the continued expansion of settlements.

We made a declaration, the first European country to do so, that Israel breached international law by annexing Palestinian lands. That was welcome. It was May last year. Today, the Minister is saying he welcomes and supports the agreement. We are rewarding the breachers and breakers of international law by signing this bilateral agreement. I contest that it is in contravention of the Security Council resolution and EU policy. It is shameful that we are supporting it. It is total hypocrisy.

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