Conor O'Neill

Low Liffey, show me gold. Head of Policy @ChristianAidIrl / Campaign to Pass the Occupied Territories Bill #PassTheOTB. Likes jokes, politics, dogs. Views own.

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

US politicians are defending Israel’s efforts to tear up international law and annex the West Bank. They’re criticising Ireland and the Occupied Territories Bill. What should we do? Debated the case on @drivetimerte yesterday, you can listen back here: https://t.co/Y4hYCI9QCp

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

@Capardheron @SadakaIreland @trocaire @ChristianAidIrl @AmnestyIreland @OxfamIreland @Actionaid_Ire @GLAN_LAW @SIPTU https://t.co/H56CsF7WUE

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

In the same week, the Irish Government announces plans to weaken the OTB and oppose sanctions on Aughinish Alumina. These positions are two sides of the same coin - corporate power & dependence as a hard limit on human rights. Letter from March 👇
https://t.co/EV81VkFTwS

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

Helpful as Dáil prepares to debate the OTB: Irish Govt confirms that this is also their interpretation, and that int. law requires "a complete prohibition on trade with Israeli settlements" - as they move a Bill that explicitly exempts much of this trade.
https://t.co/Buvr4jgpap

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

What does international law say about trade with illegal Israeli settlements? The ICJ was cystal clear that all of it, both goods and services, must end. That's the standard Govt legislation needs to meet - as we told the Dáil FA Ctte in July, to unanimous support. #PassTheOTB

[Thomas Piketty @PikettyWIL]

The World Inequality Conference 2026 has kicked off at the Paris School of Economics.

Follow the livestream: https://t.co/p1aAf33Fsn

🔴LIVE NOW: presentation of our new #GlobalJusticeReport by Cornelia Mohren, Moritz Odersky & @anmol_smnch

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

Letter to the Irish Times in response to Saturday's edition, and the claim that Ireland might have something to learn from Israel's illegal policy of displacement, demolition and settlement. Should have probably just let it go; couldn't.

[Christian Aid Ireland @ChristianAidIrl]

To curb the spread of Ebola it's crucial that people receive life-saving health messages from trusted sources. @RosamondBennett explains the vital role of our @Irish_Aid funded local partner working with pastors & priests to tackle Ebola misinformation in DR Congo in @ITletters.

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

@0x445352 Literally yesterday ffs

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

In the same week, the Irish Government announces plans to weaken the OTB and oppose sanctions on Aughinish Alumina. These positions are two sides of the same coin - corporate power & dependence as a hard limit on human rights. Letter from March 👇
https://t.co/EV81VkFTwS

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

One of the reasons Ireland is moving forward with the OTB now is the obvious momentum at EU level. Good thread from Martin on how we only need a qualified majority of MS for an EU wide ban - not unanimity - and why there’s no barrier to banning all trade, goods & services. 👇

[Martin Konečný @MartinKonecny]

🧵One more thread on EU trade with Israel's illegal settlements.

Lot of people ask - would an EU ban on such trade require unanimity or qualified majority (QMV) of EU states?

Together with @CIDSE @DorienVdb50 we asked this question to experts on EU constitutional law.

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

In the same week, the Irish Government announces plans to weaken the OTB and oppose sanctions on Aughinish Alumina. These positions are two sides of the same coin - corporate power & dependence as a hard limit on human rights. Letter from March 👇
https://t.co/EV81VkFTwS

[Frances Black @frances_black]

On Wednesday in Order of Business, I spoke about my disappointment on the government’s announcement on the Occupied Territories Bill. What has been proposed is a partial ban, a ban on the import of physical goods from illegal Israeli settlements. The dates and olives grown on stolen Palestinian farmland, but it deliberately excludes trade in services. The tech companies, the tourism platforms, the digital and IT firms that also sustain those settlements are being let off the hook entirely. This is a significant and deeply disappointing walkback, and it would fundamentally undermine the impact of the legislation.

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

“the targeted individuals and organizations are simply engaged in settlement activities” - ah right, that’s grand so. crack on

[Israel Foreign Ministry @IsraelMFA]

When the EU initially announced its sanctions, it cited 'settler violence' but hid the targets' identities. Today's publication of the list proves why: the targeted individuals and organizations are simply engaged in settlement activities, with no connection to violence.

This reveals a purely political agenda to deny Jews the right to live in Judea and Samaria. Penalizing Regavim just for exposing illegal EU construction in court proves this is a blatant political vendetta.

This is hypocrisy at its best: The EU sanctions lawful Israelis while ignoring the PA’s 'Pay for Slay' terror funding.

Israel will never accept any attempt to deny Jews the right to live in their historical homeland.

[Embassy of the State of Palestine to Ireland @IrePalestine]

Ireland's upcoming EU Presidency offers an opportunity to confront the EU's widening gap between its actions & its values.

This was the message of today's meeting chaired by Senator @frances_black

Senator Black never stops in her pursuit of justice for the Palestinian people.

Truly heartening to see reps from all political parties attend today's meeting.

Read the paper by @SadakaIreland https://t.co/fk9MVdbWJF

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

@Kristyan_B_ @h_lovatt “A few bad apples” - just a fundamental misdiagnosis of the problem. Weiss and co represent the coarser face of a settler movement that isn’t on the Israeli fringes, it’s in Government and backed by the full force of the state. The call is coming from inside the house!

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

@Irish_Bees I'm gonna be real with you man: I do not believe this to be the position of Irish Bees, noble pollinators whose work I recognise and respect

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

For the purposes of int. law, it doesn’t matter whether you’re importing olives from stolen Palestinian farmland, or facilitating holiday rentals on service-based platforms like Airbnb: a euro of support is a euro of support. ICJ was clear that it all must end. Govt knows this.

[Irish Times Politics @IrishTimesPol]

Long-delayed Occupied Territories Bill to be brought to Cabinet but will exclude services https://t.co/LaZWTgXYLF via @IrishTimesPol

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

Two questions for @MichealMartinTD @HMcEntee:

1. If Spain can include a ban on certain services, why can't Ireland?

2. Services ban rightly imposed re Russian-occupied territory in 2014. Businesses complied. If it was implementable then, why not now?

[RTÉ News @rtenews]

The Taoiseach has said that including services in the Occupied Territories Bill is "not implementable". The text of the legislation was passed by Cabinet this morning and it is set be enacted within weeks
https://t.co/XmGCR5iatI

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

What does international law say about trade with illegal Israeli settlements? The ICJ was cystal clear that all of it, both goods and services, must end. That's the standard Govt legislation needs to meet - as we told the Dáil FA Ctte in July, to unanimous support. #PassTheOTB

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

The Taoiseach said today that ‘we need to be honest with people in respect of what we can achieve with this legislation’. He's absolutely right - Govt should start by actually addressing the questions above in detail rather than soundbites. Political will is what matters here.

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

There are 2 key questions Govt need to answer when this finally hits the floor of the Dáil:

1. If Spain can include a ban on certain services, why can't Ireland?

2. Services ban rightly imposed re Russian-occupied territory in 2014. If it was implementable then, why not now?

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

@EoinKeane101 Genuinely brilliant, one of the most important Irish books of the past few decades imo

[Conor O'Neill @conoraon]

30 years since Nuala O’Faolain’s Are You Somebody? ‘Vibrating with hurt. It leaves a mark’

https://t.co/1SMkmeRnC0