PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi welcomes the Irish Senate’s adoption of the Control of Economic Activities (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018
“On behalf of the Palestinian leadership and people, I am truly honored to extend our sincere appreciation of and deep gratitude to the Seanad Éireann who took a courageous and principled stand in support of peace, justice, and morality by adopting the Control of Economic Activities (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 which aims to ‘prohibit the import and sale of goods, services and natural resources originating in illegal settlements in occupied territories.’
We are grateful to Independent Senator Frances Black for sponsoring the Bill and to its co-signers (Seanad Civil Engagement Group Senators Alice-Mary Higgins, Lynn Ruane, Grace O’Sullivan, Colette Kelleher and John Dolan, as well as Independent Senator David Norris) and all of its supporters (Trócaire, Christian-Aid and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions). We also thank our Irish friends representing political parties, civil society, churches, solidarity groups, and others who we worked closely with to make such a vote possible.
Such legislation cements the historical friendship and solidarity between both the Palestinian and Irish peoples, and it bears great significance for Palestine, particularly in the context of Ireland’s firm commitment to defending social justice, equality and freedom and the rights of the oppressed, including the Palestinians, a people in captivity and exile.
The Irish Senate has sent a strong and important message to both the Palestinian people and to the global community that there is a price to be paid for Israel’s criminal behavior and its persistent violations of international law, international humanitarian law and human rights law.
It is our hope that other EU member-states, as well as members of the international community, will follow suit and exhibit the courage to hold Israel accountable and to act on their declared principles and policies by banning all settlement products and beginning a process of deoccupation in Palestine.”