It is therefore concerning to see attempts in some countries to criminalise this legitimate political action and free expression, while also adopting definitions of anti-Semitism that include legitimate criticism of Israel.

I will always defend the fight to legitimate freedom of expression, and lend my full support to BDS and other forms of Palestine solidarity.

Israel is in clear violation of the Article 2 human rights and democracy clause of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and Article 2 of that Agreement.

Upgrades of EU-Relations were put on hold in 2009, pending progress in the Middle East Peace Process and in the implementation of shared values, including human rights. The situation has only worsened in the following ten years.

The Agreement should therefore be immediately suspended until Israel complies with international law and international human rights law, both with regard to its own citizens, and in the Occupied Territories.

Israeli companies involved in manufacturing arms and other military material should of course be excluded from EU programs and contracts. In fact, *all* Israeli companies should be excluded from these funding opportunities and programmes, until Israel complies with international law, including international human rights law.

Sinn Féin representatives in the European Parliament and in the Dáil and Seanad have been at the forefront of advocating a ban on the sale of goods, services and resources originating the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. We have worked closely with Senator Francis Black on her Occupied Territories Bill. We supported the legislation from the very beginning and through all stages in the Dáil and Seanad so far. We also used our Private Members Business slot in the Seanad to ensure the Bill was swiftly passed. Fine Gael is currently attempting to block this legislation and I call on them to drop their objection and ensure the Bill can pass freely through the remaining stages and become law.

Sinn Féin has also campaigned for the EU to take action against this illegal trade. While there is now a UN blacklist being compiled of companies involved in this illegal trade, the EU still leaves it up to individual national governments to implement a ban.

During this parliamentary term, my fellow Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson was also Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to Palestine, and Sinn Féin has played a key role in promoting solidarity with Palestine in Europe.

If re-elected I will continue to be a voice in the European Parliament for an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and for the rights of the Palestinian people.

Such a struggle can make an appeal to the working class and poor generally in this region to end the rule of capitalism and imperialism including an appeal to the Israeli working class and oppressed, to join a common struggle to end the rule of the oppressive Israeli capitalist regime and for an alternative of peace, equality and social justice.

A socialist transformation of society in this region could genuinely guarantee an independent, democratic, socialist and equal Palestinian state, with its capital in East Jerusalem, alongside a democratic and socialist Israel that will ensure true equality of rights for all. On this basis a just and democratic peace can come into existence.

Trade policy is an EU competence and any action must be taken by consensus at EU level with all Member States and the European Parliament. Indeed, the EU has already taken a number of actions relating to settlements. These include the levying of higher tariffs on goods from settlements compared with goods from within Israel’s recognised borders, prohibiting the use of EU research funding in institutions located in settlements, and rules to prevent misleading labelling of goods from settlements as being from Israel.

This is an enormously broad agreement with many aspects. Human rights clauses are not effectively policed in this deal, as with any human rights clause in most trade agreements.

The Green Party demand that any trade deal the EU signs must have strong, legally enforceable human rights clauses with enforcement mechanisms therein.

We would support an upgrading of the agreement to strengthen its human rights clauses in a meaningful and enforceable manner. We support the UN Treaty on Business & Human Rights and have signed our name to the Trócaire campaign pledge at EU level.

Our sister parties at EU-level have also tabled a motion calling for more robust EU monitoring and compliance mechanisms in relation to free trade so as to prevent importation of goods from Israeli settlements, in particular preferential trade tariffs under the EU-Israel FTA.