Gaza and the Occupied Territories Bill

Sir, – With general elections in France and Britain, the Trump circus continuing in the US, Joe Biden’s debating difficulties, and various other events, it feels as if the ongoing horror in Gaza is in real danger of becoming a less pressing issue in the daily news cycle.

Certainly, the sense of urgency around demands for a ceasefire appears less than it was a month ago. However, as Israel has now ordered hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee yet again from an already devastated Khan Younis, renewed energy is clearly needed in the push for a permanent ceasefire (“Palestinians flee fighting in Khan Younis”, World, July 3rd).

Where stands Ireland’s joint initiative with Spain for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement? As the Biden administration’s talk of a “red line” looks increasingly like electoral guff, it is more obvious than ever that only pressure from purposeful sanctions will work with Binyamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government.

Can the Government here tell us what progress has been made to date regarding the requested EU-Israel Association Agreement review and, if none, what does it propose to do now? Will it consider unilateral action and, for example, enact the Occupied Territories Bill? – Yours, etc,