Sir, – Taoiseach Simon Harris is talking a great game on Palestinian human rights – or so he seems to hope that voters believe.
Upon meeting Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas this week, he framed the Irish Government’s advocacy efforts as being intended “so the killing can stop, the aid can flow, the hostages can be released and we can get to a point where we can have a political process to bring about a two-state solution” (“‘Ireland sees Palestine’: Taoiseach meets Mahmoud Abbas and pledges to advocate for the state”, News, September 25th).
It was a sparkling soundbite – but the Taoiseach had nothing whatsoever to say about concrete action to end the Israeli state’s impunity.
This week, solidarity activists arrived at Dáil Éireann, having walked in relays from the other side of the country to deliver an Uplift petition, now signed by over 43,000 people, demanding that the Government finally enact the Occupied Territories Bill, which they have stonewalled for four years despite it having passed both Houses of the Oireachtas with the strong support of human rights organisations and legal experts.
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In August, the Taoiseach promised that he was “going to seek fresh legal advice in relation to the entire matter of trade in the context of the most recent International Court of Justice ruling.”
Nearly a month later, we have heard nothing.
The Taoiseach should listen to voters, and legislate to end Ireland’s complicity in the Israeli state’s ongoing genocidal onslaught. We can tell the difference between stirring soundbites and substantive action. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN Ó ÉIGEARTAIGH,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.