Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004
19 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recently published Amnesty International report, Israel and the Occupied Territories — the Place of the Fence/Wall in International Law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10000/04]
View answer68 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he expects that the International Court of Justice will issue its advisory opinion as requested by the General Assembly of the United Nations in regard to the construction of a wall by the Israeli authorities in the occupied Palestinian territories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9903/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 68 together.
The International Court of Justice has now received all written submissions from interested parties and has heard the oral submissions. The court has indicated that it will deliver its advisory opinion expeditiously, due to the importance of the matter. It is for the court alone to determine the schedule of its deliberations. No date for delivery of the opinion has been set but my understanding is that it may be delivered to the General Assembly of the United Nations some time between the end of May and the middle of July.
I am aware of the Amnesty International report to which the Deputy refers. The question of the consequences of the construction of the separation barrier in international law is the subject of deliberation by the International Court of Justice at present.
Ireland's views on the illegality of the construction are well known. In October 2003 Ireland and our European Union partners sponsored a resolution in the General Assembly of the United Nations demanding "that Israel stop and reverse the construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, which is in departure of the armistice line of 1949 and is in contradiction of relevant provisions of international law."
Ireland also made a written submission to the International Court of Justice to assist in its deliberations on the advisory opinion sought by the General Assembly of the United Nations. In our submission we argued that the construction of the wall in departure from the armistice line was illegal.
