Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

Under international law, Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal. That is the basis of this. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice confirmed that and delivered an advisory opinion, which confirmed that under international law member states are under an obligation to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied Palestinian territories and to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories.

There are about 250 illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and this number is expanding on a daily basis. In February 2023 there were over 500,000 settlers. That figure now grown to over 700,000. In February 2024, the Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced plans for 3,426 new Israeli homes to be built in the West Bank making a record of over 18,500 homes. In July 2024, Israel announced the biggest seizure of Palestinian land in three decades declaring 12.7 sq. km in the Jordan Valley to be state property. Settler violence is an ongoing threat to Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Campaigns of harassment continue daily. In 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council reported that more that more than 400 incidents of violence had occurred. The Israel Defense Forces and outsourced private security companies stand by and take no action to prevent violence. Instead, they respond to settler violence by ordering Palestinians to leave the area and even actively supporting the settlers.

We know 2023 was the worst year of settler violence, even before 7 October, with 1,096 settler attacks on Palestinians. Israel Defense Forces and settlers have killed over 1,000 people in the West Bank since October 2023. The State of Israel must be held accountable for genocide and for the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. Ireland, because of its colonial occupation, our genocidal famine and settler occupation, is uniquely placed to lead that accountability. Almost eight years after the introduction of the Bill, now supported by the Attorney General, the Oireachtas joint committee, by promises in the general election campaign and by the introduction of similar bills in other European countries, it is time that this country introduced and passed the Bill. We are sick of waiting. The Bill should be passed now.

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