Ireland condemns Israeli 'annexation of Palestinian land'

• Published date: 26 May 2021
• Author: Elad Benari
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, who has represented Ireland on the United Nations Security Council in debates on Israel in recent weeks, supported the motion, and condemned what he described as Israel's "manifestly unequal" treatment of Palestinian Arabs.

At the same time, he also insisted on adding a condemnation of recent rocket attacks on Israel by the Hamas terrorist organization before he agreed to government support for the motion, which had been tabled by the opposition Sinn Fein party.

"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 was quoted as having told parliament.

On Hamas, he said, "The acts of terror by Hamas and other militant groups in firing rockets indiscriminately into Israel… cannot and should not ever be justified."

Reuters noted that Sinn Fein refused to support the government amendment...