Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Others have outlined the numerous human rights violations, the violations of Article 18 rights on the expression of faith, the forced evictions in east Jerusalem, the constant and gleeful expansion of illegal settlements that we have seen in recent years, the provocation, the unacceptable killing of civilians on both sides - but far more in Gaza - and the destruction of media and health infrastructure. We are aware of these issues and we know that the Minister spoke strongly at the UN, as did many others on the Secretary Council, but that a resolution was not passed. There are, however, multiple previous resolutions of the Security Council. We have testimony. We know there have been, in contravention of the Geneva Conventions, violations of human rights and war crimes. There has been a litany of proven and acknowledged violations of human rights. We are not at a point where we need to indicate there might be a concern about that, we know it - it is a fact. The debate now relates to what we do show how serious we are about those human rights violations. We have called on Hamas and the Israeli Government to bring about a ceasefire. What are we going to do about our obligations in respect of human rights? I refer, for example, to our obligations in the context of the judgment of the International Court of Justice to the effect that third-party states should not recognise illegalities nor render aid or assistance in maintaining them. Can we do more there? What are the proposals for how we can do more to ensure that we do not give sanction, give permission indirectly or give a message of impunity with respect to these violations?

On the occupied territories Bill, if the Minister will not publish the advice of the Attorney General, will he explain in great detail to us exactly what are the obstacles? For example, does the Attorney General's advice reflect the ruling in the Rosneft case last year whereby the European Court of Justice said that public policy is a grounds for the imposition of sanctions? That was the case regarding Russia and Crimea and it is the case now. Will the Minister also publish detailed responses to the legal opinions we have put forward? It is not enough to simply say that it may be illegal or not. If we are passionate about international law, I want the Minister to tease out in detail for us how he is trying to find solutions if there are constitutional concerns about any part of the occupied territories Bill, to publish ideas about how we can bring it forward and to tell us what we are doing, in the context of customs, to ensure that no person in Ireland will be indirectly put in a position of supporting illegal settlements and the inhumanity attaching to them. How can we fully confident about that?

At EU level, the message from President von der Leyen was not strong. I want to know that Europe is strong about this. Persuasion is a great power Ireland has but we also need to show leadership through action. We have the capacity to do that. Please follow through.