Sir, – Ahead of the EU’s monthly Foreign Affairs Council, Tánaiste Micheál Martin insisted that “the international community must use every lever at its disposal to pressure Israel to stop this war” (World, October 13th).
This has become a recurring refrain by Government figures, with Taoiseach Simon Harris declaring in May and incredibly again in mid-August that “there is an onus on every single country and every single bloc, including the European Union, to use every lever at its disposal” to achieve a ceasefire.
I cannot help noticing that it always seems to be other governments that “must use every lever” to end the slaughter, and never the Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s own Government.
One lever at the current Government’s disposal is to simply stop delaying the Arms Embargo Bill. It is outrageous that our Minister for Transport continues to grant exemptions from the prohibition of the carriage of munitions of war through Irish airspace. Revelations that numerous Israeli-operated flights carrying many tonnes of explosives for the Israeli military have passed through Irish airspace, with clearance from the Irish Government “neither sought nor granted”, add insult to injury.
Given the abysmal lack of concrete action to underpin the Government’s exhortations, it is hardly surprising that the Israeli state has showcased its defiance of international law by firing on Unifil peacekeeping troops, even as it continues to obliterate entire families in the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, several thousand protesters from all over Ireland converged on Shannon Airport to demand an end to Ireland’s facilitation of the Israeli state’s war machine. The Government parties should remember that one lever at our disposal is the ballot paper. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN Ó ÉIGEARTAIGH,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – The Taoiseach’s meeting with US president Joe Biden represented a polite but definite divergence. After much exploration, it is clear that no great power or power bloc will deliver the Middle East peace that Irish people demand. This puts high priority of the Taoiseach’s August undertaking to review Ireland-Israel trade relations.
Acting alone should not daunt us. Past and recent history is rich with lone Irish peacemakers. So far, the Irish Government’s expressions of concern and recognition of Palestine have not impacted on the causal core of the catastrophe. The gentle frustration of the Irish public is obvious. Increasing numbers, young and old, stand at their small-town vigils or march in hundreds of thousands with their homemade placards. The majority feel that the political system has failed them on the issue of peace in Palestine.
Widely accepted by the voting public and parliamentarians alike was the Occupied Territories Bill. Innovatively, its penalties only apply to imports from illegal occupiers in invaded countries. Goods produced by the local population are exempt, as are those from the occupier’s home territory. Illegality is its only focus. The Occupied Territories Bill has attracted worldwide interest. Peacefully, it can tilt the gross imbalance of negotiating power, between Israel and the Palestinians, toward dialogue.
By 2020, the Bill had secured large majorities in both Seanad and Dáil. In that year’s election, the electorate gave majority support to parties with manifestos committed to it. However, in government formation talks, the Occupied Territories Bill was blocked. This was explained as resulting from the Attorney General’s advice that the Bill was not compatible with Ireland’s EU membership. This opinion remains strongly contested by learned counsel,
This year, news of the Taoiseach’s review came on August 30th. It arose from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal. It outlines measures, some similar to the Occupied Territories Bill, that an ICJ member can take to end the occupation. If enacted in this Dáil session, the Occupied Territories Bill might be shared with the world as a practical, starting strategy toward peace. – Yours, etc,
DAVID CLINCH,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.