Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has condemned the controversial new ‘Jewish nation-state’ law passed by the Israeli Parliament on Thursday, calling it racist and apartheid legislation.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“This new legislation is racist and sectarian and will lead to blatant discrimination against Palestinians and Arabs.

“The law demotes the legal standing of the Arabic language in Israel and defines Hebrew as the country’s only official language.

“It states that the establishment of Jewish only communities, including illegal colonial settlements, are in the national interest.

“The legislation states that only Jewish people ‘have an exclusive right to national self-determination’ in Israel and it also states that an undivided Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

“This new legislation treats Arabs as second-class citizens and it is a form of apartheid.

“I completely condemn this legislation and call on the Irish Government to do likewise. The Irish Government must stop appeasing Israel’s apartheid.

“The propagating of illegal colonial and Jewish only settlements in this legislation shows the disregard Israel politicians really have for a two state solution.

“It is clear that Irish citizens want to see a more robust and active policy in support of Palestinians who are being treated as second class citizens in their own land.

“The Irish Government must urgently recognise the State of Palestine, ban the importation of goods made in illegal Israeli colonial settlements, and sanction Israel until it dismantles its apartheid regime.”

ENDS