LAST UPDATE | 14 Nov 2023

THE GOVERNMENT HAS announced that it has agreed to commit additional funding for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to support its work. 

The announcement has come as part of its counter-motion to Sinn Féin’s motion this evening to refer Israel to the ICC.

The amount of funding being provided has not been announced but a Government spokesperson has said it will be “significant” with full details to be announced in the coming days. 

Sinn Féin are this evening bringing a motion to the floor of the Dáil calling on the Government to refer the Israeli attacks in Gaza to the ICC for investigation.

The Sinn Féin motion is being supported by Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Labour.

The Government will however propose a counter-motion which will not endorse a referral to the ICC but instead will note that the ICC is the “cornerstone” of the system of international criminal justice and not only promotes and upholds the rule of law but also pursues accountability for the most serious international crimes.

The counter-motion will recognise that the Prosecutor of the ICC announced the opening of an investigation into the situation in Palestine in March 2021.

The Prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan, has reaffirmed that this investigation covers the current, ongoing conflict.

The Prosecutor has also stated that his only objective must be to achieve justice for the victims whether they are in Israel or Palestine.

The Government’s counter motion will also call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and for the unconditional adherence by all parties to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.

Motion to expel the Israeli Ambassador

Earlier today, Social Democrats’ Foreign Affairs spokesperson Gary Gannon said Ireland has the opportunity to act as a leader in Europe by expelling the Israeli ambassador and imposing economic sanctions.

Speaking to reporters outside Leinster House today, Gannon said Ireland should “not be content with having the least bloody hands in the room” when it comes to the global response to Israel’s bombing of Gaza.

Tomorrow, the Social Democrats will bring a motion forward calling on the Government to withdraw diplomatic status from the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich and push for the imposition of EU-wide economic sanctions on Israel. 

Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and People Before Profit have all said they will support the motion, however the Government plans to table a counter motion.

Among the calls from the Social Democrats is for the human rights clause in the EU-Israel trade deal to be enacted. 

This clause means that either side can unilaterally suspend the agreement in response to serious breaches of human rights.

They also want Ireland to put its name to the report to the International Criminal Court for human rights violations by Israel and for the Occupied Territories Bill to be enacted. 

Gannon said the party understands the “enormity” of the call to cut diplomatic relations with Israel but said Ireland cannot “stand by and be complicit” with what is happening in Gaza. 

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for the Irish state to stand back and be content with having the least bloody hands in the room. I think our position can be stronger and that’s why we’re making these calls,” he said.

On Tánaiste Micheál Martin’s planned visit to Israel and Palestine this week, Gannon said he is “intrigued by it”. 

He said: “Is there any other state which would be engaged in what’s been described as an impending genocide that the Tánaiste would go visit and shake their hands, all the while hospitals are being burnt, broken and bombed?”

“I understand the Tánaiste is aspiring to find diplomatic solutions there and that is his role. I don’t want to criticise that but I also don’t want to stand back and be a useful apologist for what is happening in Gaza,” Gannon added.

Gannon also questioned if the Israeli government’s refusal to allow the exit of approximately 40 Irish citizens from Gaza is a “form of punishment” against these citizens because the Irish state has “been an outlier in terms of asking simply for a ceasefire”.

He said he believes this is the case. 

“For me, it really does seem like those citizens are being punished because the Taoiseach, because the Tánaiste have gone a little bit further in terms of their condemnation,” he said. 

The same claim was made recently in the Dáil by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy.

In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ireland has been given no indication its citizens are being prevented from leaving Gaza as a form of punishment for calling for a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith urged the Government today to allow a free vote on both Israel related motions arguing that they are issues of conscience. 

Smith said she is aware of TDs within the Government parties who have privately supported the idea of expelling the Israeli ambassador.

“Many of them feel much stronger than they’ve been represented by their party leaders, by the Tánaiste and by the Taoiseach, and want something much more interventionist done,” she said.