Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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52. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a report by the Israeli Ministry for Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy in which a charity (details supplied) is misrepresented in a misleading manner regarding the nature of that organisation's work in the occupied territories of Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26027/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the report in question, which my Department has examined. A key priority of the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy is to combat domestic or international criticism of, or pressure on, Israel, and in particular to combat support for boycott campaigns. Material produced by the Ministry should be evaluated against that background. The report makes allegations against a wide range of respected European and Palestinian NGOs. Most, if not all, of the activities which are detailed in the report amount to the expression of legitimate political views, or campaigns in favour of such views. Both NGOs and citizens are entitled to hold and express peaceful political views, including views which are not shared by their Governments. For example, Ireland does not support commercial, cultural or other boycotts against Israel, for reasons which have been explained many times in the Dáil. However, the Government has accepted and defended the right of individual citizens, and civil society organisations, to practice and advocate so long as there is no attempt to force others to do the same, and no advocacy of violence. The report does not differentiate between Israel and the Palestinian Territory occupied by Israel, and uses terms which imply that the occupied territory is part of Israel, for example describing the West Bank as “Israel’s Judea and Samaria regions”. Ireland does not recognise the West Bank and Gaza as part of Israel, in line with numerous UN Security Council Resolutions. Most recently, UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of 23 December 2016 recalls, inter alia, that any changes to the 1967 lines, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations, cannot be recognised, and that Israel, as an occupying power, is obliged to abide by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Nor, in fact, has Israel officially claimed that these territories are part of Israel, so there are elements of this report which are not in line with stated Israeli policy.

Finally, the report makes a linkage between donor support for any activity by the selected NGOs, and support for their advocacy activities related to Israel or Palestine. I would be concerned that accepting such a linkage could have the effect of creating pressure on NGOs to avoid controversial issues, which would reduce the space for legitimate political debate, and potentially reduce scrutiny on human rights issues linked to the occupation of the Palestinian Territory. Israel must of course expect consistent scrutiny of its actions while it remains an occupying power.

The views expressed in the report, including those detailed above, have been put to my Department from time to time by Israeli authorities, and my officials have responded on the lines I have outlined here. They were put to me directly by Prime Minister Netanyahu in my first meeting with him in July of last year. I have always made clear my support for freedom of speech, and the importance of a vibrant civil society, and that this includes supporting the right to advocate for non-violent political views, even ones with which we disagree.