Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach. It is encouraging to hear that we will not wait for European consensus and that the advice will go to the Cabinet next week. Certainly, if there is anything we in the Opposition can do to ensure the expediting of the passage of the occupied territories Bill, I think we will all do it. It has cross-party support. That is encouraging.

At EU level, we support the Taoiseach seeking a review of the EU-Israel trade agreement. That is important. He has said he will be at the European Council meeting. He was in Washington last week. He and the Government could go further in pushing the US Administration. That point has been made to me by Palestinian diplomats who are conscious that Ireland has a particular line of communication with the US Administration. We should be using it. As the Taoiseach said, we should use every lever at our disposal. However, we should not forget that the EU remains Israel's biggest trade partner and that EU money is enriching those who are profiting from the slaughter of civilians. The Taoiseach needs to push harder, both with the US Government and EU leaders at the European Council meeting this week, to ensure there is at least some consensus between some member states. I am conscious that we have acted with Spain in the past, especially on the recognition of the Palestinian state. There are other EU member states which share our view and increasing numbers of citizens of the 27 countries share the utter horror everyone feels on witnessing the horrific slaughter in the Middle East.

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