Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 23, 46, 48, 55 and 73 together.

I thank Deputies Ward and Ó Murchú. As the House is aware, as far back as 14 February 2024, the then Taoiseach and the Prime Minister of Spain wrote to the President of the European Commission, requesting an urgent review of whether Israel was compliant with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel association agreement. It was a lonely place back then, with just Ireland and Spain seeking this review. Further, the letter requested that the Commission propose appropriate measures for the consideration of the Council should it find that Israel is in breach of its obligations. The EU-Israel association agreement provides that the relations between the parties would be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which constitute an essential element of the agreement. The agreement says that human rights clauses are an essential element. It is clear and we did not need any review to tell us that Israel is not living up to its human rights obligations. We eventually got 17 and then 19 countries to agree that we should have a review. The review has taken place and has found, quelle surprise, that Israel is in major breach of its human rights obligations and Article 2 of that agreement.

I do not believe this can be a consequence-free zone. The European Union cannot find a party to be in breach and then just ignore that or wish that away. At the last Foreign Affairs Council meeting, we asked Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union, to engage with the Israeli Government, because if someone is in breach, we have to ask how they intend to take themselves out of breach. We also asked her to engage with the College of Commissioners on what potential actions the European member states may now wish to take. The Taoiseach, the Government of Ireland and I would like to see the agreement suspended in the interim. That would be appropriate. It would require unanimity and I would be misleading the House to suggest that such unanimity would exist or be likely to exist. That is one reason why we are pursuing our own domestic legislation regarding the occupied Palestinian territories as an interim measure. I again reiterate my call and I hope other EU member states that share our views on this issue will follow and produce their own domestic legislation.

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