Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
120. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will engage with the International Court of Justice to provide Ireland's opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories in February 2024; what this opinion will entail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48053/23]
View answerOn 30 December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 77/247, which included a request to the International Court of Justice 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. These proceedings have been fixed by the Court to open on 19 February 2024 at the Peace Palace in The Hague and the question of Ireland’s participation in them is now under consideration.
