Ireland recognises Israel’s ‘de facto annexation’ of Palestine

Gov’t now set to vote on amendment that, if passed, would expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland and impose sanctions against Israel.

The Republic of Ireland has recognised the “de facto annexation” of Palestinian land by Israeli authorities, in what it said was the first use of the phrase by a European Union government in relation to Israel. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Tuesday that the parliamentary motion, brought forward by opposition party Sinn Fein, “is a clear signal of the depth of feeling across Ireland”. “The scale, pace and strategic nature of Israel’s actions on settlement expansion and the intent behind it have brought us to a point where we need to be honest about what is actually happening on the ground. … It is de facto annexation,” Coveney, of the centre-right Fine Gael party, told parliament.