Amnesty International chief slams 'fearmongering' after Ibec comments on Occupied Territories Bill
The organisation's secretary general, Agnès Callamard, has praised the Irish Government for its plans to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Ms Callamard said the EU has 'betrayed its principles through its shameful decision not to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement'.
'The EU's refusal to take action to hold Israel accountable highlights the need for Ireland and other likeminded member states to urgently take unilateral or concerted steps to bring their actions in line with international law, which takes precedence over both EU and national law,' Ms Callamard said.
'Despite the fearmongering and efforts by certain parties to derail the bill, Ireland must stay firm in its convictions and commitment to justice."
It comes after comments from the director general of Ibec, Danny McCoy, criticising the Government for introducing the bill, warning it is damaging Irish interests in countries like the US.
'We're not talking about millions here,' Mr McCoy said.
'This is not about actually helping in any material way. It's symbolism and moral positioning, and so on. However, with moral positions, you can also reveal hypocrisy.'
Ms Callamard said passing the legislation would 'set a strong example' to other EU countries to unilaterally suspend co-operation with Israel.
Ms Callamard said:
It cannot be 'business as usual' while Palestinians are starved and slaughtered while seeking aid or under relentless Israeli attacks in Gaza, or killed and forcibly displaced by state-backed Israeli settler violence, devastating military operations and suffocating movement restrictions in the West Bank.
'From its own experiences of colonization, famine and conflict to its leading role in international efforts to end apartheid in South Africa, Ireland has repeatedly shown that it can stand up to bullies and consistently punched above its weight in global diplomacy.'
The Oireachtas Justice Committee is currently undertaking pre-legislative scrutiny of the Occupied Territories Bill, with witnesses appearing in recent weeks to discuss the proposed laws.
There has been some criticism of the legislation for not going far enough, as it only deals with trade and not services.
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