Taoiseach Micheál Martin has written to the president of the European Council calling for an European Union-wide banning of products from Israeli settlements and the suspension of the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel following its “shocking treatment” of Gaza activists detained at sea.
Martin has written to Antonio Costa expressing his grave concern at the treatment of EU citizens, including some Irish people, who are being illegally detained by the Israel Defense Forces in international waters.
He has called for the matter to be on the agenda of the next EU summit in June.
Martin has also condemned what he described aa the unacceptable behaviour of far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who posted videos on social media of him taunting and haranguing the protesters, all of whom had their hands bound behind their backs and were forced to kneel on the floor.
A detained Irish activist, Caitríona Graham, is seen at the start of the video standing up and chanting “Free, Free Palestine” just before Ben Gvir walks past, before she is restrained by soldiers and pushed back down by the head to a kneeing position.
In his letter, the Taoiseach has said the interception and treatment of those onboard are the latest examples of Israel’s growing disregard for international norms and its failure to meet its obligations under international law.
Martin had written that seven months after a ceasefire was called in Gaza, aid has yet to reach the population in sufficient volumes and conditions there remain shocking.
He has referred to continued expansion of Israeli illegal settlements in the West Bank with settlers inflicting extreme violence against Palestinian communities. It is, he has said, a deliberate attempt to undermine the viability of the two-state solution.
He also has referred to the introduction of the death penalty in Israel and its incursion into southern Lebanon, and widespread bombing of the country, especially its capital Beirut.
In those circumstances, Martin has argued in the letter, the EU cannot continue with a “business as usual” approach to Israel,
To further his call for a ban on illegal settlement goods and the suspension of the EU-Israel agreement, he has asked for an urgent discussion among EU Leaders at the next meeting of the European Council on June 18th and 19th when it is due to discuss the situation in the Middle East.