Labour demands action on Palestine and on Occupied Territories Bill
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday (Tuesday, 31st January), Labour leader Ivana Bacik called on the Government to take a strong stance in defence of Palestinian rights, and demanded that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar take action and move on the Occupied Territories Bill.
Deputy Bacik said:
“The Labour Party has been clear in its continued support for people of Palestine in the face of ongoing breaches of their human rights by the Israeli government..
“We are calling on Government to take a strong stance against the actions of the new right-wing government in Israel that breach international law. The new regime has stated its intention to expand upon the policies of its predecessors – many of which expressly break international law.
“It is more than 18 months since the Dáil voted to condemn the de facto annexation of Palestinian land by Israeli authorities. In light of that vote, Labour firmly believes that Ireland has a broader responsibility to take a strong stance and in particular to pass the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban the import of goods from illegal settlements. Ireland can be a world leader in standing up for the rights of Palestinian people if the political will to do so exists. The Occupied Territories Bill must become law without further delay.”