Occupied Territories Bill to come before Cabinet in coming weeks, Helen McEntee confirms

The foreign affairs minister criticised Israel over the treatment of 'illegally detained' flotilla activists 

Foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee: 'When I saw our own citizens and other people with their hands tied behind their back, you think if this is how they’re treating Irish citizens and other people, how are they treating Palestinians?' Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

The long-awaited Occupied Territories Bill will come to Cabinet in the coming weeks, the foreign affairs minister has told the Dáil.

Helen McEntee said the piece of legislation, which the Government has been accused of "mothballing" and "abandoning", would be published soon.

Speaking about Irish citizens from the Global Sumud Flotilla who were illegally detained, Ms McEntee hit out at Israel.

“When I saw our own citizens and other people with their hands tied behind their back, you think if this is how they’re treating Irish citizens and other people, how are they treating Palestinians?” she said.

“How are they treating people that we can’t see? I think we all think that, and we can all imagine exactly what has been happening.”

Ms McEntee later confirmed the 14 Irish citizens “illegally detained in international waters” by Israel were on buses to board a flight to Istanbul, "where they will be deported from the airport".

"We will have an ambassador there on the ground to meet with them directly. We have consistently called for access and the ability to engage directly with them by our teams, and that has been denied to us. I utterly condemn these actions. 

"Whether it is the Irish Government or any other government, it is not acceptable that we have been prevented from engaging and speaking directly to citizens. I am also aware that there are reports that two citizens have been hospitalised. They are not Irish citizens.

Not only have I condemned this and engaged and written directly to Israeli authorities, but I am working to build a consensus within the EU to make sure that this is not just words and condemnation, but that we respond appropriately. 

"The most appropriate way in which we can respond to this is by making sure the proposal that has been on the table since last year by the commission to suspend the trade element of the EU-Israel association agreement, is voted on and that Europe sends a very strong message that we do not accept this kind of behaviour, but that also that there is movement when it comes to the banning of trade in the illegal settlements."

Ms McEntee said, however, the bill would not affect trade with Israel more generally.

"The Occupied Territories Bill is specific to the occupied territories, which has already been made very clear in international law and which the EU agrees with. They are illegally occupied territories. That is why we are pursuing the Occupied Territories Bill; that is why I will publish legislation in the coming weeks, but in tandem with that, we will also pursue action at an EU level when it comes to the overall trade association agreement," she said.

Lawyer for the detainees, Suhad Bishara, said the activists would travel to Turkey before returning to their home countries.

All 15 Irish citizens have been released and are due to leave via Turkey on Thursday, including Margaret Connolly, the sister of President Catherine Connolly.

“The sister of the president met with one of our staff lawyers yesterday, and she’s making her way to Ramon right now,” Ms Bishara told RTÉ's Today with David McCullagh on Thursday.