Ireland has become the first EU member state to declare the building of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories as de facto annexation, after the Dáil on Wednesday night passed a motion tabled by Sinn Fein.
The Dáil rejected, however, a proposal to expel the Israeli ambassador to the Republic and impose comprehensive sanctions against Israel by 87 votes to 46, with no abstentions.
A spokesman for Israel’s foreign ministry said it “outright rejects” the motion.
Lior Haiat said on Twitter that Ireland’s “outrageous and baseless” position regarding some Israeli settlements reflects a “blatantly one-sided and simplistic policy” and constitutes a “victory for extremist Palestinian factions”.
“The motion distances Ireland from its ambition to contribute and play a constructive role in the Israeli-Palestinian context,” he wrote.
Mr Haiat said the vote followed “unacceptable anti-Israel statements that were heard in Ireland at a time when the citizens of Israel were being subject to terror attacks by the more than 4,000 rockets that were launched from the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terrorist organization.”
The Government had in a debate on Tuesday night supported the Sinn Féin proposal and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said during debate on the issue that “we need to be honest with what is happening on the ground and call it out” as “de facto annexation”.
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https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/ireland-becomes-first-eu-country-to-declare-israel-is-involved-in-de-facto-annexation-1.4576250
