An Ash Wednesday sunrise-to-sunset protest calling for the Government to fast track the Occupied Territories Bill is being held by a group outside Leinster House.
The group, known as Brigid’s Wimmin, includes former television producer and Abbey Theatre artistic director Lelia Doolan and playwright and activist Margaretta D’Arcy.
Announcing its protest the group said: “Palestinians are looking to Ireland – our Government must not look away.”
They said that when Independent Senator Frances Black first introduced the Occupied Territories Bill in 2018 she said that “in the occupied territories, people are forcibly kicked out of their homes, fertile farming land is seized and the fruit and vegetables produced are then sold on Irish shelves to pay for it all”.
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The group said Ms Black’s Bill “has since been met by the inaction of two governments, with fine words only about human rights, despite the International Court of Justice ruling in July 2024 that Israeli occupation of the West Bank is illegal under international law”.
The protesters said: “The Irish people want this Bill passed as per the original text. Recalling our own history, we see how these multiple violations comprise outright theft of land and water, imposing disaster on Palestinian lives in the West Bank.
“The 2024 International Criminal Court’s ruling should prompt our Government, without further delay, to support that ruling in full.”
The controversial legislation aims to ban trade in goods produced by Israel in occupied Palestinian territory.
The Government has said, however, the legislation will have to be amended significantly and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has insisted “there are major legal issues” involved with the Bill.
The Opposition has criticised the Government over delays in producing the amended legislation, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil last month that it would be the summer Dáil session at the earliest before the new Bill is introduced because of the changes required.
