Interactions Report - March 2025

Ireland’s official stance on Palestine was marked by a complex mix of rhetorical support and diplomatic caution, exemplified by Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s meetings with U.S. officials and Jewish organisations amid tensions over the Occupied Territories Bill. While Ireland endorsed the Arab-led Gaza reconstruction plan and President Michael D. Higgins issued a strong condemnation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza, government hesitancy was evident in Martin’s reluctance to confront President Trump’s support for Palestinian expulsions and in the ambiguous status of key legislation. Meanwhile, grassroots activism surged, with significant actions including the Cork Council of Trade Unions’ call for the Occupied Territories Bill, protests against Israeli bonds regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, and large demonstrations across Dublin demanding sanctions and a ceasefire. The month highlighted growing public frustration with the government’s balancing act between human rights commitments and maintaining transatlantic relations, underscoring the urgent need for Ireland to move beyond symbolic gestures toward concrete policy change.

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