Frances Black to speak on Occupied Territories Bill at Ennis event

SENATOR Frances Black (Ind) is set to speak at a public meeting in Ennis next week organised by the Clare branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
This event on Monday, October 14 at 7.30pm in Treacy’s West County Hotel will focus on the “urgent need” for the Irish Government to take action and pass the Occupied Territories Bill, which aims to prohibit trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
Independent Senator Frances Black said, “In the six years since I first tabled the Occupied Territories Bill, the situation in Palestine has rapidly deteriorated. While the world is focused on the horrific, genocidal war in Gaza, across the West Bank we’re also seeing one of the biggest land grabs in decades – more homes destroyed, families displaced, settlements built. How
can we repeatedly condemn this as illegal but continue to trade in the goods produced? It’s clear hypocrisy and it must stop.”
The meeting will also feature Éamonn Meehan, Chair of Sadaka-the Ireland Palestine Alliance, and a spokesperson for the Campaign to Pass the Occupied Territories Bill, said, “The ICJ has ruled the occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory to be ‘an unlawful act of a continuing character’. In
2022 the UN reported that the settlements contributed $628 billion to the Israeli economy between 2000 and 2020. By failing to ban trade with settlements we are complicit in criminal activity by Israel and in the impoverishment of Palestinians who are a protected population under the laws of occupation and whose resources are being stolen.
“The Government’s interpretation of EU law makes it impossible for Member States to fulfil their international legal obligations. In fact, following the clarification by the ICJ of the laws governing occupation, it may be illegal not to pass the OTB. There is no legal obstacle to enacting this bill, only a lack of political will.”
Finbarr Mc Gabhann from Clare IPSC said, “Clare IPSC have been campaigning for justice for Palestine for many years, holding public meetings, film screenings, protests etc. Since the current assault on Gaza, we have held a march and rally every Saturday in O’Connell Square in Ennis from 11am. We were also instrumental in the passing by Clare County Council of a motion in December, calling for a ceasefire and supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, assisted by councillors from Sinn Féin, the Greens and Fianna Fáil. More recently, we got a motion passed instituting an Ethical Procurement Policy, which now ensures the council cannot tender with any
company which profits from or participates in, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.The people of Clare want real tangible action from our government”. The public meeting will take place on October 14 at 7.30pm.