Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Again, Ireland along with Spain, were the first more recent European Union member states to recognise the State of Palestine. Slovenia has now followed on the recognition question and Norway also did that. We were central to turning around the narrative on UNRWA within the European Union and stopping the denial of vital aid into UNRWA, and likewise in terms of aid and support from the Commission to the Palestinian Authority, which should have been far more frequent and should not have been subjected to stop-start as it was.

On the legal front, we have pursued all avenues of justice which does challenge Israel in respect of international humanitarian law. It is something that they do take umbrage at and have taken particular umbrage at Ireland's positioning before the ICJ and ICC and in respect of the recognition question and our general stance overall. The legal advice that previous Attorneys General gave in respect of the occupied territories Bill was that it was contrary to European Union law in respect of the conduct of trade. There is further advice being sought in respect of that but also in the context of the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion, which, as I say, is being sought by our Government but also at European Union level in respect of the obligations on EU member states in respect of the ICJ's advisory opinion. It is a very significant turning point and Europe has to face up to that reality.

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