Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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2. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will reconsider IDA Ireland's expansion of its activities in Israel in view of the finding by Amnesty International that Israel is an apartheid state, the recent murder of a journalist by Israeli forces and subsequent police attack on their funeral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25669/22]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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In January, IDA Ireland appointed a business development consultant in Israel to deepen links with the state that even Amnesty has now describe as an apartheid state. Given last week's horrific war crimes by Israel with the targeting and assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh, including an illegal invasion of Palestinian territory and the horrific attack on her funeral, will the Government now reconsider this investment?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government strongly condemns the killing of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin on 11 May 2022. Media freedom and the safety of journalists must be protected and I echo calls for an immediate, impartial and effective investigation. Accountability must be ensured and those responsible brought to justice. I also condemn the excessive use of force by some police at her funeral. Ireland's opposition to the Israeli settlements in the West Bank informs IDA Ireland's engagement with the state of Israel on a range of bilateral issues, including trade, and will continue to do so.

IDA Ireland issued a request for tender for a part-time, Israel-based business development consultant in April 2021. The process was concluded in January 2022 when the business development consultant was appointed. This person will represent IDA Ireland to support its efforts to win new investment. The pathfinder consultant model is regularly used by IDA Ireland in many countries. The newly appointed business development consultant is expected to identify Israeli-headquartered target companies with potential for investing in Ireland, engage with senior decision makers in these companies and present Ireland's value proposition as an investment location.

IDA Ireland and individuals working on its behalf always respect it obligations under Irish and international law, including under the codes of practice to which Ireland is committed. As a statutory agency under the relevant Acts of the Oireachtas, IDA Ireland always acts in line with Government policy. It is guided by the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs relating to Israeli investment and adheres to the Department's guidance for business enterprises in targeting potential foreign direct investment to Ireland.

IDA Ireland operates an evaluation and due diligence process across all regions and considers a variety of factors that could be associated with investment activities prior to accepting a client into the portfolio. I am advised that IDA Ireland will not target any Israeli companies included on the database of enterprises involved in certain activities relating to settlements in the West Bank as published by the United Nations in February 2020.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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The Tánaiste and the Government have condemned the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh, but listen to the spokesperson for the Israeli military, Ran Kochav. He said she was filming and working for a media outlet amid armed Palestinians and stated, "They’re armed with cameras, if you’ll permit me to say so". They see journalists as being armed with cameras because the truth of the apartheid state and the oppression of Palestinians being beamed to the world is a weapon against the establishment in Israel.

It is better to have words of condemnation than not, but is the Government going to do anything? The simplest action it could take is to say that, on the basis of the fact that this is an apartheid state and in view of its horrendous assault, using batons and stun grenades, on a funeral, IDA Ireland is going to remove its business development office. Surely there have to be consequences for these actions by Israel?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am glad that journalists are armed with cameras, as, increasingly, are citizens by means of their smartphones. We would not know as much about what is happening in Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea, were it not for the fact that we have journalists and cameras. They are not weapons in any military sense, but the fact that journalists are armed with cameras is positive. That is how we know what is happening. The truth is that we have economic relations with many countries. I would love to live in a world where every country was a democracy upholding human rights at all times. Israel is a democracy but it does not uphold human rights at all times. That is particularly the case when it comes to its treatment of Palestinians. We have economic relations with the Gulf states and China, which are not even democracies at all, whereas Israel is. We have decided not to engage in boycotts of many countries around the world, but we have strict rules about Israel, which restrict engagement with Israeli companies that are active in settlement areas.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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In March, the Minister said his Department was studying the Amnesty International report. Has he studied it yet? What conclusions has he drawn from it? Amnesty International indicted Israel for operating a racist and cruel system of apartheid against the Palestinian people, which is a crime against humanity. It stated that Israel deliberately denies Palestinians their basic rights and freedoms and that its blockade on Gaza leaves the area in a state of "perpetual humanitarian crisis", which amounts to a collective punishment of Gaza's civilian population. It states there is chronic, discriminatory underinvestment in Palestinian communities in Israel, denial of the right to return for millions of Palestinian refugees, the forcible transfer and expulsion of Palestinians from Israel and the occupied territories, the widespread and systematic use of administrative detention to imprison thousands, and decades of torture of Palestinian detainees, including children. I could go on. The Minister says there will be no consequences. He will say a few words of condemnation, as will the Minister for Foreign Affairs next week, then he will proceed to pursue investment from Israel through the establishment of an IDA Ireland office. That is utterly shameful.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There is no IDA Ireland office in Israel. A part-time business consultant represents IDA Ireland in Israel, which is quite different. There are no plans to have an IDA Ireland office or permanent staff member in Israel. We have part-time consultants in many countries in order that we have some representation on the ground. The settlement policy in Israel is wrong and we condemn it. We will not have any dealings, through this consultant, with any Israeli companies that are active in the settlement areas. Israel's treatment of Palestinians is wrong. There is no equivocation from the Government on that part. We need a bit of balance. It is a democracy. When it comes to the rights of women and LGBT people, it is first and best in the region, compared with all of its neighbours, which needs to be acknowledged. Israeli Arabs and Palestinians can vote in elections. They are present in the parliament, they can serve as ministers, they can serve in the army, they can head up universities, and they can even captain the football team. That would not have been the case for black people in South Africa.