The issue of Irish Neutrality and Israel has a new form. In 2024, the Irish Government approved over 1,260 flights to carry unchecked weapons through Irish airspace. The Ditch has revealed at least 60 planes carrying weapons have flown over Ireland this year alone. They transported more than 100 tonnes of weapons for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Department of Transport began investigating this in September, and they received the draft report in March. Despite this, the Department does not intend to publish it soon. The Minister must release it without delay. The public would be frightened to learn that the Government is making Ireland complicit in genocide.
Relations between Ireland and Israel reached its lowest level in December after Israel closed its embassy in Dublin. As a result, this relationship changed. The 2024 Arms Embargo Bill would ban exceptions that currently allow flights carrying weapons to Israel or to countries that supply arms to Israel to pass through. Additionally, it would mandate that the Minister inspect these flights.
Relations Between Ireland and Israel
Irish neutrality and Israel changed while it was never neutral. Relations between Ireland and Israel reached their lowest level in December. It happened right after Israel closed its embassy in Dublin. In an official statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Ireland of using “antisemitic rhetoric. He claimed that Ireland had crossed every red line in its relations with Israel. Ireland has joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, the International Court of Justice announced Tuesday morning. The ICJ said that Ireland had joined Mexico, Chile, Spain, and the State of Palestine on Monday and asked to intervene in the case.
In March 2024, the Irish Government announced its intention to join the legal case against Israel. This action is the latest step in Ireland’s increasingly intense public criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war. As of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Irish politicians have expressed concern over what has been primarily viewed as a heavy-handed response.
Ireland and Israel Defense Forces
Irish neutrality and Israel is not neutral anymore. Over the past 15 months, Israeli occupation forces have killed at least 47,000 people. They killed more than 17,000 children while injuring more than 100,000. In the West Bank, Israel has killed more than 800 people, and its brutal illegal occupation continues.
Irish neutrality and Israel did not include absolute neutrality. In 2024, the Irish Government approved over 1,260 flights to carry weapons unchecked through Irish airspace. The Ditch has revealed that at least 60 planes carrying weapons have flown over Ireland this year alone. They transported more than 100 tonnes of weapons for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Israeli War Planes Flying through Irish Air
The issue of Irish neutrality and Israel is under question. The Minister for Transport must publish a draft report on Israeli warplanes flying through Irish air space. Sinn Féin spokesperson on Transport, Pa Daly TD, has called on the Minister to publish the report prepared by his Department as a matter of urgency. The report provides information about Israeli warplanes flying through Irish sovereign air space.
Teachta Daly commented on reports the Department has been sitting on since March. Since August last year, the Ditch has regularly reported on the alleged usage of Irish air space by Israeli war planes. If true, thousands of tons of weaponry that have contributed to the ongoing genocide in Gaza have passed through Irish skies.
Forcing Irish Sovereign Airspace to Carry Weapons
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has expressed concern about flight companies. Companies that fly munitions through Irish sovereign airspace and do not abide by regulations may not get flight permission in the future. This comes after the Department of Transport confirmed nine civilian aircraft entered Irish sovereign airspace. The Ditch website reported that the aircraft carried munitions of war sent for Israel.
Senator Ruane said being complicit doesn’t necessarily mean the Irish State is directly responsible for the genocide against the Palestinian people. But through its action or inaction, Ireland is empowering the agitator. However, he believes that Ireland is indirectly responsible for the wrongdoing caused by others.
Irish Neutrality and Israel: Transport Exemption as an Involvement in Genocide
Under national air navigation orders, civil air operators need an exemption from the transport minister to carry munitions of war through Irish sovereign territory. However, no consent has been sought for overflights of weapons to Israel since 2023.
Under national air navigation orders, civil air operators need an exemption from the transport minister to carry ammunitions of war through Irish sovereign territory. Nevertheless, no consent has been sought for overflights of munitions to Israel since 2023. The Minister for Transport granted exemptions for a record 1354 flights in 2024 to bring military firearms and ammunition through Ireland. However, Ditch has highlighted multiple cases of flights and claims that they inform the Department of every time. However, when the Tánaiste appeared on the Late Show, he did not believe this was the case. This has caused many people to think that the Government might be trying to fool people by claiming ignorance.
The Department of Transport began investigating this in September, and they received the draft report in March. Despite this, it has still not been published. The Minister must release it without delay. The public would be frightened to learn that the Government is making Ireland complicit in genocide. The Government is continuing to facilitate the transport of bombs and weaponry that are killing innocent civilians, including children, through Irish sovereign airspace.
Ireland Admitted: A Bill to Ban Trading Goods with Israel
Ireland’s Tanaiste, or deputy prime minister, Simon Harris, defended the Government’s position that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. Harris says that Ireland is the first Government in the European Union (EU) to say Israel is guilty of genocide. It is genocide. On the other hand, Catherine Connolly, an independent, accused the Government of not doing enough to punish Israel. Israel is guilty of its 19-month-long war on Gaza, which has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Palestinian health ministry announced that more than half of those killed by Israel were women and children.
Harris said that a bill banning trade with goods from Israeli settlements would move to the foreign affairs committee next month. The Government is also under pressure to stop the Central Bank from facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds in the EU. The Government also must stop any flights over Ireland that may be carrying weapons to Israel. Arms Embargo Bill 2024 would outlaw exemptions where flights are transferring weapons to Israel or to countries that export arms to Israel. The bill also obliges the Minister to check the flights out.
