Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2017
268. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to new legislation that allows the Israeli Government to ban persons who advocate for boycotts of Israel or Israeli settlements from entering the country, which stops them transiting to Palestine (details supplied); his views on the fact that Irish citizens will be banned and deported. [15019/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEvery country has of course the right to determine for itself the conditions for entry to its territory.
Nonetheless I consider that the recent Israeli law on visa restrictions, which was strongly opposed by many parties in the Knesset, is deeply regrettable and unjust. It aims to exclude people on the basis of their having expressed non-violent political opinions, and is cast in the broadest and most general terms, which could apply to very large numbers of people. It is akin to earlier legislation which used the same broad definitions to make Israelis who advocated the same opinions liable for financial damages.
This law, and other recent legislation in Israel, are deeply damaging to that country’s international image, and reputation as a democracy. Close scrutiny will now be paid to how the law is operated in practice.
As well as the territory of Israel, Israel also de facto controls entry to the occupied Palestinian Territory, and it would be further unjust if persons are prevented from entering that territory on the basis of non-violent political opinions held about that occupation, and the behaviour and actions of the occupation authorities. I am already concerned that Israel is in practice more and more acting to exclude from Palestinian territory international aid and human rights workers, and even political observers, who seek to examine and document the operation of the occupation and the actions of the authorities. No military occupation should endure in the longer term, but if it is justly operated it should have nothing to hide.
