The Irish Government does not need to pass the Occupied Territories Bill to ensure the State has no dealings with Israeli companies and institutions, the UN’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories has said.
On a two-day visit to Ireland, Francesca Albanese said she could not comment on the detail of the Bill but said there was an existing obligation not to deal with Israel in a business-as-usual manner.
At a press conference in Dublin on Thursday, Ms Albanese said the Government should be asked what it is doing to comply with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.
“If Ireland acted in accordance with international law, it probably wouldn’t need an Occupied Territory Bill but would still have an obligation not to have its companies or banks or pension funds or any financial institutions involved, or universities involved, with Israel,” she said.
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Ms Albanese said her visit coincided with the killing of more than 500 people, including 200 children, in the previous 48 hours in Gaza. The death figures come from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
Ms Albanese said what is happening is genocide and it cannot be described any other way.
“Resolving the question of Palestine in line with international law is not complicated. It’s not difficult. It’s about ending the genocide. Today, there is an obligation to prevent genocide, to stop genocide, and then to punish,” she said.
She said 18,000 children are among the dead.
She said the Irish Government has taken important steps, such as recognising the state of Palestine after 30 years.
She also referred to Ireland and Spain seeking a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. She said that agreement must be rescinded. Ms Albanese praised Ireland for joining South Africa in the genocide case before the ICJ.
“Still, there are concrete actions that have to be taken,” she said.
She said there is a need for Irish authorities to scrutinise military aircraft passing through Shannon Airport.
Ms Albanese met President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. She is due to meet officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
