Leading Israelis Praise Ireland’s BDS Bill in The Irish Times and Call for its Inclusion in the New Program for Government To Help Stop Israel’s Annexation Plans In The West Bank

— Claiming annexation poses threat to peace and the Two State Solution, regional stability and risks turning Israel into apartheid state

The ‘Occupied Territories Bill’ was recently passed by substantial majorities in the upper and lower houses of Dail Eireann, the Irish parliament, and in an unprecedented move some of Israel’s most distinguished citizens including members of parliament, former top diplomats and academics (Full list of signatories below) in a letter to the Irish Times called for the bill’s inclusion in Ireland’s new program for government. In uncompromising terms their letter expressed grave concern about the annexation plans which they believe not only pose a threat to peace and the two state solution but will also cause serious regional instability and risks turning Israel into an “apartheid state.”

“This is a matter of grave concern to all of us who believe in a resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict based on the two-state solution, leading to peace, security and prosperity for all. Needless to say, unilateral annexation will lead to escalating crises in Palestine, Jordan, and the entire region, and runs the risk of turning Israel into an apartheid state,” the letter stated.

The letter was prompted by Coalition agreement for a new unity government between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Opposition leader Benny Gantz in which the annexation of substantial parts of the West Bank will be implemented — a key plank in the Prime Minister’s Likud Party election platform.

Ireland the letter noted is “uniquely positioned” to challenge what they describe as the new Israeli government’s “ominous plans for annexation” and help “uphold respect for international law, and protect the two-state solution by enacting the Occupied Territories Bill.”

However, while apparently ignoring Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney reportedly claiming on a visit to Israel that he had blocked the ‘Occupied Territories Bill’ on the basis it is illegal under EU law, the letter stated that its signatories were “heartened” by the Minister’s statement when he “correctly underscored that “annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law, including the UN Charter”.

The letter went on: “We welcome Mr Coveney’s affirmation of Ireland’s commitment to “a negotiated two-state solution that ends the occupation that began in 1967, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, on the basis of international law, the internationally agreed parameters and relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.

However, the distinguished signatories in the Irish Times are in no doubt this planned acquisition represents not only a killer blow to the peace process but will condemn succeeding generations to violence and injustice and calls on the international community to help stop this move:

“We firmly believe that now is the time for action from the international community to prevent Israel from proceeding with annexation, which will doom generations to come to more oppression, injustice and violence,” the letter concluded.

Signatories to the letter included Colette Avital, member of the Knesset Israel’s parliament and former ambassador to Portugal and Consul General in New York; AVRAHAM BURG, Former speaker of Knesset and head of the Jewish Agency; ILAN BARUCH, Former Israeli ambassador to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; SUSIE BECHER, Managing editor, Palestine-Israel Journal; ZEHAVA GALON, Former member of Knesset and chair of Meretz Party; Prof DAVID HAREL, Vice-president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, EMET Prize recipient (2010); Prof MOTY HEIBLUM, EMET Prize recipient (2014), member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities; Prof YEHOSHUA KOLODNY, Israel Prize recipient (2010); MIKI KRATSMAN, EMET Prize Laureate (2011); ALEX LEVAC Israel Prize recipient (2005); Prof YEHUDA JUDD NE’EMAN, Israel Prize recipient (2009); MOSSI RAZ, Former member of Knesset; TZALI RESHEF, Former member of Knesset; Prof DAVID SHULMAN, Israel Prize recipient (2016) and EMET Prize recipient (2010); Prof ZEEV STERNHELL, Israel Prize recipient (2008), Jerusalem.