Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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227. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or Ministers of State from his Department raised recent breaches of international law by Israel such as cutting off food, water, and electricity to civilian populations in Gaza during recent visits to EU Member States over the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations; how these breaches of international law impact Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement asserting respect for human rights by all parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15260/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In the current context, the situation in Israel and Palestine remains a standing agenda point on the Foreign Affairs Council enabling me and my officials to exchange with our EU partners on this key priority on a monthly basis.

The immediate focus of the international community must be on bringing hostilities to an immediate end and for all parties to return to talks aimed at implementing the second phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal, including the release of remaining hostages and the resumption of much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza.

This is a positon that I fully share with my EU partners and one that I emphasised during my recent visit to the United States over the St Patrick’s Day period. The United States has made an important contribution to securing the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Together with the other mediators Egypt and Qatar, the US remains a key player in pressing the parties to return to the table to resume the full implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

The situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East formed an important part of my engagements at the Munich Security Conference in February, where I met with a number of global leaders and policy makers including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Palestine, the Foreign Minister of Egypt, the Foreign Minister of Jordan and the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini.

Compliance with international law is also central to Ireland’s approach at EU and international level. Ireland has both bilaterally and at multilateral level, repeatedly called on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law. All parties must respect international humanitarian law at all times. Hospitals and health facilities, medical and humanitarian personnel, must be protected.

At EU level, I continue to advocate for a meaningful interpretation of Israel’s human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. I welcome that at the EU-Israel Association Council in February, the European Union clearly recalled Article 2 of the Association Agreement at the outset of its statement.

Furthermore, the EU-Israel Association Agreement must, in the Government’s view, be interpreted and applied in accordance with the obligations of the EU and its Member States under international law. These obligations have been clarified by the International Court of Justice in its recent advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.