Ireland urged to use UN Security Council role to intervene in Palestine-Israel conflict
Palestinian mourners carry the body of 11-year-old Hussain Hamad, who was killed by an explosion during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Picture: AP Photo/Khalil Hamra
The Irish Government should use its position at the UN Security Council to demand a halt to forced resettlements of Palestinian people in Jerusalem.
Dr Jilan Abdalmajid, ambassador from the Mission of the State of Palestine, was before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee today to discuss the ongoing violence and said that Ireland should use its position on the UN Security Council in the same manner that New Zealand did in 2016 when it pushed for a resolution condemning the building of Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands.
She said that New Zealand had passed its resolution when the outgoing Biden administration declined to use its veto.
"I think you can do something," she told the committee.
She said that the situation in eastern Jerusalem "continues to deteriorate" under the "systemic plan to annex" the territory. She said that the Israeli government had acted illegally in an effort of "forced displacement". She said that the "nightly acts of aggression" had ramped up as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan had kicked off.
This, she said, showed a "two-tiered system built on discrimination and oppression".
She said that Israel would "continue to violate human rights to exercise Jewish supremacy over the Palestinian people".
However, she said it was not a religious issue, but a human one.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government is “extremely concerned” by the violence in Israel and the forced resettlement by Israeli forces of Palestinian families in the region, however, he seemed to rule out using the UN Security Council as a method to voice this concern.
"If we want to make real progress on these issues, I think we should sometimes have a bit of self-respect for own traditions of diplomacy, which have stood us in good stead."
The comments come as the Israeli ambassador to Ireland was invited to a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.
A spokesperson for Minister Coveney said: "The minister and the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland met for 45 minutes this afternoon. The Minister reiterated Ireland’s firm stance that the loss of life among civilians in Gaza last night was completely unacceptable.
"Israel has a duty to protect civilians and comply with international humanitarian law. The minister reiterated his condemnation of the firing of rockets from Gaza and the impact on Israeli civilians. He urged the Israeli authorities to urgently take action to de-escalate the situation."
