What we do
Annexation
On the 25th of May 2021, following months of work from Sadaka, Trócaire, Christian Aid, ICTU, and collaboration from both Government and Opposition, the Dáil has supported a parliamentary motion condemning the de facto annexation of Palestinian land by Israel, developed by John Brady TD, Sinn Féin (video of speech here). Simon Coveney, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, supported the motion, stating that "the current escalation of violence has not happened in isolation" and called for the international community to be "honest about what is happening on the ground." Following a vote on Wednesday 26th May 2021, Ireland has become the first country within the EU to recognise de facto annexation, paving the way for others to follow. The full video of the debate can be found here (starts at 3:59:00).
Palestinian Loss of Land 1947 to Present
Central to Israel’s annexation plan has been the transfer of more than 650,000settlers into Palestinian territory. This unlawful transfer amounts to a war crime under article 8(2)(a)(vii) of the Rome Statute.
The term 'annexation' refers to the forcible acquisition of territory by a State. It is a breach of the longstanding rule of international law that a State cannot acquire the territory of another State by force. This rule is accepted by the international community as fundamental, to which no exception can be made.2
A 'settler only' road linking an illegal settlement on Palestinian Territory with Israel - a core component of Israel's annexation plans. Alternatively, a State can exercise effective control over a territory that it has forcibly acquired, without any accompanying formal declaration. This might involve, for example, the application of certain domestic laws to that territory, or measures, such as population transfer, to alter the territory’s demographics. This is referred to as de facto annexation and is often a precursor to de jure annexation. Importantly, both forms of annexation are equally unlawful under international law.1
Explainer: Israel, annexation and the West Bank (BBC News, 25 June 2020)
Establishing Guidelines to Determine whether the Legal Status of ‘Area C’ in the Occupied Palestinian Territory represents Annexed Territory under International Law: (Al Haq: 17th July 2020)
Palestinians call on the world to confront annexation (Palestine Chronicle, 4 May 2021)
This Is Ours – And This, Too : Israel’s Settlement Policy in the West Bank (B'Tselem, March 2021)
Annexation of the West Bank: It has already happened (Sadaka Briefing 49: September 2020. [Download pdf])
Establishing Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 (UN Publications:October 2018: S. Michael Lynk:, Section III on Annexation. [Download pdf])
‘Two peoples living in the same space, ruled by the same state, but with profoundly unequal rights’ is ‘a vision of a 21st century apartheid.’ (Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, 1 May 2020)
What would formal annexation look like (NBC News, 19 June 2020)
Interactive Map, Israeli Occupation of Palestine (B'Tselem)
Looming Annexation (2020) (PDF)
Breaking the Silence - Annexation (2020) (PDF)
Prior to the Dáil vote, on 11 May 2021, a Sadaka delegation along with the Ambassador of Palestine to Ireland delivered a powerful message to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on annexation.
While Israel continued to bombard the Gaza Strip and wreak havoc in Jerusalem our primary concern was for the safety of the Palestinian people. We also remain firmly focused on the responsibility of the international community to take action, not just in relation to current events, but the ongoing Israeli breaches of international law through policies of annexation, occupation and apartheid.The objective was for the Oireachtas to immediately pass a cross party motion which recognises de facto annexation - the root cause of Israel's current actions in Jerusalem - and consequently Gaza.
The Resolution to recognise the the de facto annexation of Palestinian land by Israel was passed by Dáil Éireann on 26 May 2021
You can watch the JCFAD debate here (from 41.15).
You can read a transcript of the debate here.
Statement from the Ambassador of Palestine
Summary of the debate.
Questions and Answers.
Key quotes.