Palestine

Dr Maeve O'Rourke calls on the Irish government to back South Africa's case bringing the charge of genocide against Israel. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing South Africa’s case against Israel under the 1948 Genocide Convention this week.

Human rights campaigners have condemned "draconian" UK government plans to ban English councils and other public bodies from boycotting Israeli companies. The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, which was announced in July 2023, is being debated in the House of Commons today.

The Irish government has been accused of applying "double standards" after refusing to back South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) while supporting an earlier claim by Ukraine against Russia. Ukraine launched a case at the ICJ under the Genocide Convention in

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the government will not back South Africa's case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The top UN court will this week hear an application from South Africa alleging that Israel is breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention and seeking measures inclu

More than 1,070 members of the legal profession have called on the UK government to press for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank and to take urgent steps to ensure the UK government does not violate international humanitarian law or aid or assist its violation by others. The letter, or

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has backed international calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. In a statement yesterday, the Law Society said it fully supports the position of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), which last week called for a ceasefire as well

Ruth A FitzGerald SC considers the application of international humanitarian law to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas. The question being considered here is as to the way fighting is being conducted between Israel and Hamas, i.e., the law of war, and not the question of the legality of w

Prominent lawyers are among more than 300 individuals and civil society organisations from Northern Ireland who have called on the UK government to withdraw support from an Israeli government that "commits war crimes with impunity". An open letter co-ordinated by the Committee on the Administration

There is a "plausible and credible case" that Israel is attempting to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a respected US-based legal advocacy organisation has said. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), founded in 1966 to provide legal support for the civil rights movement, published

A former UK Supreme Court president is among Jewish figures who have raised "significant concern" over Israel's conduct in Gaza. In a letter to the Financial Times, eight lawyers, including Lord Neuberger and Philippe Sands KC, wrote that even though the “vile crimes perpetrated by Hamas in Is

Palestinian refugees fleeing Gaza and the West Bank should be allowed to benefit from the same emergency measures introduced for Ukrainian refugees last year, a group of Irish lawyers has said. The Socialist Lawyers' Association of Ireland, chaired by solicitors Gary Daly and Erin Allen, yesterday c

Legal rights groups FLAC and Community Law & Mediation are among more than 135 civil society organisations which have urged the Irish government to help stop Israel committing war crimes in Gaza. In an open letter published by Uplift, the signatories condemn Palestinian militant group Hamas, say

The European Commission appeared to backtrack on a controversial suspension of aid payments to Palestine after Ireland and other countries questioned the legal basis for the move. In a statement yesterday, the Commission confirmed that it has ordered an urgent review of EU assistance for Palestine t

The Irish government is seeking to "pause" a proposed bill which would ban the State's sovereign development fund from investing in companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine. The Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023, introduced by Sinn Féin TD John B

New Israeli restrictions on the display of Palestinian flags in public spaces have been condemned by human rights campaigners as an attempt to "legitimise racism and discrimination". The Israeli government directive, issued by Israel’s new minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir on Sunda