Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
13. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he intends to publish his written statement to the International Court of Justice with regard to the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39685/23]
View answerOn 30 December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 77/247, which included a request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ/the Court) to render an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. Ireland voted in favour of this resolution, which was supported by 87 UN Member States.
The Court invited the UN and its Member States, as well as the observer State of Palestine, to submit information relevant to the questions asked by the General Assembly by 25 July 2023. In total, 57 statements, including a statement by Ireland, were submitted to the Court. The statement provided Ireland's legal analysis of the occupation and of issues related to Israeli policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Under the rules of the Court, during the written proceedings phase, all written statements are treated as confidential documents. The Court will decide whether to publish the written statements submitted to it on or after the opening of the oral proceedings. A date for these proceedings has not yet been scheduled, but they are likely to take place early in the new year.
