Paschal Donohoe told the Tánaiste he did not make the call and his diary records no such engagement (File image)

Dáil told no phone call over Occupied Territories Bill

by · RTE.ie

The Dáil has been told that Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe had no phone call with his Israeli counterpart in 2019 regarding the government's intention to block the Occupied Territories Bill.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he had spoken to Minister Donohoe this morning, who informed him that he did not make such a call and his diary records no such engagement.

The online website, The Ditch, citing a document from the Israeli Ministry of Justice, suggested a "confidential" call had happened on the issue.

The issue was raised by Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy who called on all Ministers to clarify if they had any such engagements with their Israeli counterparts.

He also called on the Government to immediately enact the Occupied Territories Bill, which seeks to ban trade with illegal settlements in territories deemed occupied under international law.

Deputy Carthy said that Israel was committing flagrant breaches of international law in both Gaza and Lebanon.

He contended they will continue to do this because they have never faced consequences for their actions, including genocide against the Palestinian people.

In reply, the Tánaiste said Israel's slaughter of innocent children, women and men should be condemned, just as the Hamas murderous attack on 7 October should be condemned.

He accused the Israeli government of deploying absolutely disproportionate force against Hamas, including the levelling of Gaza and a high civilian death toll - something he described as reprehensible.

On the Occupied Territories Bill, he said that advice from previous attorneys general suggested that it would be contrary to EU law, but he added the Government was now seeking further advice.

Mr Martin said this was in the context of the recent "advisory opinion" from the International Court of Justice, which reiterated that the Israeli occupation of Palestine is illegal and it must come to an immediate end.

The Tánaiste added that Ireland and Spain were asking the European Commission to examine the EU-Israeli association agreement in the context of the ECJ advisory opinion.