Israel blasts Irish vote to declare Israeli settlements in Palestine as de facto annexation as ‘outrageous’
ISRAEL’s foreign ministry has blasted a motion by the Dail to declare the building of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories as a de facto annexation as “outrageous and baseless”.
A spokesman for the ministry said it “outright rejects” the motion which they claim “constitutes a victory for extremist Palestinian factions”.
Ireland became the first EU member state to declare the building of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories as de facto annexation.
A Dail motion, tabled by Sinn Fein, was passed on Wednesday night after it received cross-party support.
'BASELESS POSITION'
In a statement, Lior Haiat, the spokesman for Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “Israel outright rejects Ireland’s outrageous and baseless position regarding Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
“This position reflects a blatantly one-sided and simplistic policy and follows the unacceptable anti-Israel statements that were heard in Ireland at a time when the citizens of Israel were being subject to terror attacks by the more than 4,000 rockets that were launched from the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terrorist organisation.
“The motion that was adopted today in the Irish parliament constitutes a victory for extremist Palestinian factions.
“This motion distances Ireland from its ambition to contribute and play a constructive role in the Israeli-Palestinian context.”
The motion condemns the “recent and ongoing forced displacement of Palestinian communities in the occupied Palestinian territory”, and described the annexation of Palestinian territory as a violation of international law.
'ILLEGAL LAND GRABS'
In a tweet after the vote, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “Illegal land grabs, annexation of Palestinian land & homes has been called out by Dail (Parliament) in Dublin.
“The motion tabled by @sinnfeinireland & supported by all must mark new assertive, consistent confrontation of Israeli crimes against Palestine.”
Sinn Fein Foreign Affairs spokesman John Brady described the vote as a “historic moment”.
He tweeted: “Tonight’s passing of the @sinnfeinireland motion on the illegal annexation of Palestinian lands by Israel, is a historic moment, a victory for justice & a recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
“Focus now needs to be on the consequences for Israel.”
AMENDMENT
An amendment tabled by People Before Profit, calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland and to impose sanctions against Israel, was defeated.
The People Before Profit amendment to Sinn Fein’s motion was defeated by a vote of 46 in favour and 87 against.
The amendment claimed Israel was guilty of war crimes, ethnic cleansing and apartheid, and that as a result the Israeli ambassador and embassy staff should be expelled.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the motion was a “clear signal of the depth of feeling across Ireland”.
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Coveney said on Tuesday the Government needed to be “honest about what is happening on the ground”, adding that it is a “de facto annexation”.
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He added it was not said lightly.
A ceasefire on Friday ended 11 days of fighting in the Gaza Strip, considered the worst violence in the region since 2014.