Green Party statement on ICJ ruling on Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestine
The ruling by the International Court of Justice that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territories is unlawful must be followed by a concerted international push to bring the occupation to an end and create a stand-alone Palestinian state, the Green Party has said.
Green Party leader, Roderic O’Gorman, said that while the ICJ’s ruling was welcome, it simply confirmed what the world has known for decades.
“Yesterday’s ruling was an important one as it leaves no doubt that Israel’s conduct - including its continued roll out of settlements, its use of discriminatory laws against Palestinians and its exploitation of Palestine's natural resources - violates international law.”
“I am proud that Ireland played its part and would like to thank the Attorney General for travelling to the court in February to present Ireland’s analysis that the occupation represented an illegal annexation of Palestinian territory.”
“In truth, however, the ruling only confirms what the world has been aware of for many years but chose to ignore - that the people of Palestine are being subjected to a brutal form of apartheid in their own territory."
Minister O’Gorman said that the severity with which Israel has waged war in Gaza indicates that there is little chance of it bringing its occupation of Palestine to an end without maximum international pressure being applied.
The Minister said he had raised the war in Gaza and the wider occupation of Palestine when he met the US ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin, on Thursday. He has also raised the matter with Green Party colleagues across Europe.
Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson, Senator Vincent P Martin, said the world cannot ignore the plight of the Palestinian people any longer. The recent attack on a designated safe zone in al-Mawasi that left more than 90 people dead only further demonstrated the imperative for swift action.
“It is well beyond time that the international community took a firmer stance towards Israel so that we can force it to end its brutal treatment of the Palestinian people and build a more peaceful future for its own people too,” Senator Martin said.
“Ireland, together with countries such as Spain and Norway, have taken a strong position by recognising the state of Palestine and condemning Israeli aggression but we need more western countries to join us,” he added.
