A key pillar of Ireland’s foreign policy is our strong commitment to international law and our promotion of respect for international law. This commitment has guided our approach to the current conflict. The Government has been vocal in its support for sanctions against violent Israeli settlers and extremist Israeli ministers, as well as against Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. Ireland has consistently condemned terrorist acts, regardless of who commits them. Ireland has strongly supported the sanctions adopted by the EU against both individuals and entities involved in settler violence. Ireland welcomes further proposals from the European Commission in September 2025 to sanction extremist Israeli ministers and violent settlers.
While it is my strong belief that measures adopted collectively at EU level will be most effective, the Government is currently working on measures to prevent individual members of the Government of Israel from entering our country, as announced in the Taoiseach's speech at the UN last week.
In 2023, Ireland made written submissions to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestine which was then followed by oral submissions in The Hague in 2024. The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion, published in July 2024, confirms the Government’s analysis that Israel’s occupation is unlawful. On 6 January 2025, Ireland also filed a Declaration of Intervention in the case initiated by South Africa against Israel under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice.
