The Bloody Sunday Trust has expressed disappointment in Dublin’s inaction on trade sanctions and arms embargo on Israel

The Bloody Sunday Trust has expressed disappointment that Dublin has not responded to its call for the imposition of trade sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. 
 
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion, delivered on 19th July this year, declared that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land, including settlements and their infrastructure, are unlawful and ordered that the occupation must be brought to an end.
 
The ICJ opinion also rules that all states have an “obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
 
Following this, Tony Doherty, Chair of the Trust wrote to the Taoiseach pointing out that the ICJ had ruled that Israel is obliged to immediately halt all new settlement activity; evacuate all settlers from the occupied territories; and pay reparations to Palestinians for the damage caused by Israel’s 57 years of military repression. 
 
Mr Doherty stated that: "The ICJ ruling must surely provide those who wish to act with an urgent moral case for the imposition of trade sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel." 
 
He added that: "Ireland played a meaningful and honourable role in ending apartheid in S Africa. We urge you to now find the moral courage to play a similar role by taking the actions we have suggested as a step towards freeing the Palestinian people from decades of oppression." 
 
Although this letter was received by the Taoiseach, Simon Harris in August and then passed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, no reply has been received to date. 
 
States can no longer lawfully trade with illegal Israeli settlements on occupiedPalestinian land. Yet this trade continues. 
 
As does the transfer and sale of weapons, parts, and ammunition despite their use in harming civilians and violating international law with many such shipments transiting through Irish airspace. 

Reacting to the lack of response from Dublin, Mr Doherty recalled the statement made by Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the West Bank and Gaza during a visit to Ireland last March, “There’s this tendency to be very supportive with rhetoric, as Ireland has, but when it comes to taking concrete actions, there is zero. Not a little. Zero”. 
 
The Chair of the Trust said he believed that for those who are horrified by the Gaza genocide, rhetoric will not much longer shield Dublin from the change of complicity if the failure to act continues.