Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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560. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the role his Department is playing in reintroducing the Occupied Territories Bill 2018; if this will be reintroduced given the escalation of violence against Palestinians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13898/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Occupied Territories Bill would not be compatible with EU law, and would not be implementable. This is the clear legal advice on this matter. The Government will therefore not be taking it forward.

We have however ,supported legal avenues to differentiate between settlements and Israel, for example by joining a case before the European Courts in 2019 on labelling of certain goods produced in settlements.

Ireland has consistently and strongly opposed illegal settlements, and this Government will continue to do so.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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561. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps his Department is taking in response to the attempts by the Israeli Government to expand into the Occupied Territories in Palestine; the sanctions that can be placed on the State of Israeli if this continues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13899/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is Ireland’s longstanding position that policies and practices of successive Israeli governments relating to illegal settlements and their expansion, as well as expulsions, forced transfers and demolitions, undermine prospects for a two-State solution, and are a major obstacle to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace.

The continued establishment and expansion of settlements is a violation of international law and is unacceptable. It is deeply concerning that the stated intentions of the Israeli Government continue to show disregard for the clear international consensus around this issue. It is important that the international community supports the Palestinian Authority in its recourse to legal and political responses to the occupation.

In this regard, I welcome that the UN Security Council adopted, by consensus on 20 February, a formal Presidential Statement expressing its opposition to “all unilateral measures that impede peace, including, inter alia, Israeli construction and expansion of settlements, confiscation of Palestinians’ land, and the ‘legalization’ of settlement outposts, demolition of Palestinians’ homes and displacement of Palestinian civilians”.

Earlier this month, the 27 Member States of the EU issued a joint statement, which made clear that Israel must stop settlement expansion, prevent settler violence, and ensure the perpetrators are held accountable. Ireland raised this issue at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels in March, and urged all EU colleagues to keep the issue high on the agenda.

Ireland remains committed to supporting all efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting two-State solution, with the Jerusalem as the capital of both States, on the basis of international law and agreed international parameters. In respect of sanctions, Ireland does not have any unilateral sanctions regimes and the Government has no plans to introduce any. Ireland implements UN sanctions, and EU sanctions adopted as part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. There is currently no consensus at EU level in respect of potential sanctions on Israel.