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The Occupied Territories Bill was proposed by Senator Frances Black
This is at odds with the opinions of two EU experts on EU trade law, Professor Takis Tridimas (who worked previously as a legal adviser in the European Commission and European Parliament), and Professor Panos Koutrakos, a leading academic in EU law.
They argued that EU law was not a barrier to Ireland Enacting the Bill and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in June 2024 means that the bill
Lordello Road footbridge Shankill weekly banner drop
atest press release from North Wicklow Against Genocide, issued on 
Friday, September 13th 2024…
Why have members of North Wicklow Against Genocide been outside Fine Gael Office in Bray every Thursday for the past 3 months?
The Occupied Territories Bill was proposed by Senator Frances Black 
in 2018. The bill if enacted would prevent Ireland from trading in goods and services from Israeli Occupied Palestinian Territories.
In December 2018, The Irish Times reported that the Seanad passed the Bill and majority of TDs in the Dáil voted for the bill, but it was not passed by the Dáil because the then Tánaiste Simon Coveney said he could not pass the bill on advice from the Attorney General.
In May 2024, the Irish independent reported that Taoiseach Simon Harris said that he received new legal advice regarding the issue and that issues regarding trade are “a European Competence”.
This is at odds with the opinions of two EU experts on EU trade law, Professor Takis Tridimas (who worked previously as a legal adviser in the European Commission and European Parliament), and Professor Panos Koutrakos, a leading academic in EU law. 
On September 4th 2024, the Irish Independent reported that both professors criticised the Attorney General’s previous advice and stated that blocking the bill was “at odds with settled EU case law”.
They argued that EU law was not a barrier to Ireland Enacting the Bill and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in June 2024 means that the bill 
is now “necessary… as it gives effect to the duties” outlined by the ICJ.
On June 19th 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague ruled that Israeli settlements are illegal and Israel is responsible for apartheid. The ruling places an obligation on international organisations and UN member states not to recognise as legal or help to maintain the situation arising from Israel’s unlawful presence in the Palestinian territories.
Classy. AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov
This means that all states, including Ireland, have a duty to uphold international law, and must review all trade and other relations with Israel to ensure that they do not contribute to Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Over the years human rights groups have attempted to support Palestinians as they fight to keep their homes and lands from Israeli settlers who seize their property. Many activists have visited Palestine and attempted to support the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and to bear witness to the atrocities perpetrated by the Israeli’s against Palestinians.
Several of these activists have been killed by the IDF. On March 16th 2003, Rachel Corrie, an American pro-Palestinian activist, was in Rafah in southern Gaza, and was killed while protesting against the demolition of Palestinian houses by the Israeli military. Reports on BBC, NPR and the Independent (UK edition) reported that Rachel was killed while trying to stop an Israeli bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian home.
Other peace activists who were present said that Rachel was wearing an orange fluorescent jacket and was clearly visible when she was crushed by a bulldozer. The driver of the bulldozer denied that he ran over Rachel and said she was crushed by debris. Rachel’s parents filed a civil lawsuit against the state of Israel asserting that she had been intentionally killed but this was rejected by a judge in Haifa in 2012 who found that the driver did not see Rachel. A report on Al Jazeera reported that the judge stated that Rachel’s death was an accident that “she brought upon herself”.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygifrom
Israel continues to bomb schools, hospitals and refugee camps. Israel is blocking aid to Gaza. There is increased settler violence in the West Bank and according to the UN, more than 3,000 people have been displaced by the demolition or confiscation of their homes in the West Bank since October 7th 2023.
15 comments
Excellent article, thank you for publishing it. Many people in the West have been radicalised over the last year. We have been witnessing a live-streamed genocide that the rich and powerful seem fully committed to continuing, despite protests and direct action around the world, and pleas for an end to the slaughter from every major humanitarian agency and UN agency. The systemic nature of support for the genocide has been eye-opening to say the least for many people. We have listened to our own political leaders offer platitudes and strong words on using ‘all levers’, while taking very little tangible action to halt the flow of weapons to Israel through Shannon, or funds through trade with businesses in illegal settlements. Enacting the Occupied Territories Bill is one such tangible action which could have a real economic effect, and would be evidence of some courage and compassion on the part of our government.
Great article, which makes for devastating reading. For as long as Israel are permitted to commit blatant war crimes and genocide with impunity, we are all complicit. Our government talks the talk (ish), but with no meaningful action to support their hand-wringing and platitudes. The people of Gaza and throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory deserve protection from war crimes and human rights violations, and justice for what they have had to and continue to endure. There needs to be action(s). At a bare minimum starting point, enact the Occupied Territories Bill. We do not want cowardly leadership in such troubling times, or ever. The people of Ireland stand strongly with Palestine.
Beir Bua – An Phalaistín Abú (newest GAA club in the global village family, where we all belong)!
Kudos to the Greystones Guide for amplifying the voices of the majority. We cannot stand idly by while a genocide is taking place. All levers should be used to stop these atrocities. At a bare minimum, Enact the Occupied Territories Bill asap!
Where is the leadership ? Where is the vision for a peaceful and secure future? The Middle East is a total mess resulting from the meddling by empire minded states. None of us are safe from the impact of actions taken almost 100 years ago. As an Irish person, with a solid understanding of the trauma and damage caused by inter- generational violence, social , economic and cultural dismantling of an occupied population, I have a sincere wish to prevent further destruction. Simon Harris must move beyond his Greystones front garden and show leadership and relevance of Irish values for civil rights and religious and political freedom for all small nations. This genocide is on your watch! No vote from me without your leadership.
Silence, denial and normalisation of genocide in Palestine is the same as silence, denial and normalisation of historic child abuse in Ireland & elsewhere. The question that is always asked today, is why nobody tried to stop it. We were not there then but we are here now. We have the power. Enact the Occupied Territories Bill.
Wow, yes. This is about children’s rights to life for sure, not politics not foreign affairs not leave it to the EU
Enact the Occupied Territories bill! Any words from this government are utterly meaningless without action.
It is time for action from our government and enacting the Occupied Territories Bill is the first step. Words are doing nothing to help the people of Palestine. We need more emails and pressure from the general public to our elected officials. Ceasefire Now!
The government needs to enact the Occupied Territories Bill now – how many more Palestinian lives will it take before this will happen. The killing and suffering in Gaza, and the continuing illegal settler expansion in the West Bank are just the latest attempts at denying the Palestinian people their legitimate right to a homeland which has been ongoing since 1948 (and even beyond this). There must be an immediate end to Israel’s war – in our history books 100 years from now, people will ask ‘how did we allow this to occur’.
We need a ceasefire now,, peace for everybody – most people around the world are on the side of ceasefire!! but it’s the Irish government that needs to get its backside moving, cut the ties Simon + Micheal! and if your local join the Thursday protest.
It would be great if people could take a few minutes to send an email or comment to Simon Harris or other FG TDs so that it’s not always the same names they see. We really need them to acknowledge that the majority of Irish people don’t want our govt profiting from or contributing to a genocide in our name. Thank you to those who take action, even a little bit.
Ceasfire now (preferably last year). While bombing of hospitals continues there is only 1 side to Genocide. The side of universal Human Right to Life, as universally declared. With an immediate ceasefire, there can be 2 sides to discussion. In Wickow, we need to listen and lead now, again. As citizens & as consumers. Make Wicklow a Genocide-free & Ecocide-free zone as Community and our WCC voted repeatedly. Pass the Occupied Territories Bill now & propose same in EU now.
Disgusted with the lack of any meaningful actions by our government. It feels by not acting we are supporting the Apartheid regime and complicit in the genocide.
Every community organization and decent thinking person in Ireland wants our government to do what’s morally right and sign the bill. If it’s all right for Fianna Fail then what is the problem for Fianna Gael? So Simon Harris, listen to the people, “less empty energy” and more action!