Sinn Fein and DUP clash after Executive meeting over Israel decision

Sinn Fein and DUP ministers have clashed following an Executive meeting over a decision to block trade talks with Israel.

The DUP was unable to overturn Sinn Fein Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald’s policy following a vote of ministers.

But DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly accused Ms Archibald of making “politically-motivated trade policy” and said the issue should come back to the powersharing Executive for approval before it is implemented.

Last month the Economy Minister made a written statement to the Assembly after commissioning a review to establish if businesses in receipt of Invest NI grant funding had links to Israeli arms.

The minister announced a series of measures she said would “eliminate any risk of public funds being used to support the manufacture of arms or components that are used for genocide”.

The steps included a commitment that her department “will not engage in the British Government’s trade talks with Israel while it continues to illegally occupy and impose apartheid on Palestine”.

The DUP then launched a move in the Assembly to have the matter referred to the wider Stormont Executive for discussion.

After their petition gathered more than 30 signatures, it was referred to the Executive where it was discussed by ministers on Tuesday.

The four Sinn Fein ministers were joined by the two Alliance ministers in supporting the decision taken by Ms Archibald.

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Archibald said: “The DUP failed in their attempt to block my decision.

“That decision was about ensuring there is no enabling of the genocide against the people of Gaza.”

She added: “As Economy Minister I am determined to do everything in my power to defend human rights, to uphold international law and support the defenceless people of Gaza and Palestine who are suffering the horrors of genocide and forced starvation.

“No minister and no administration should be enabling genocide and I don’t think that is something that should have to come to the Executive and that was the view of the majority in the Executive this morning.”

However, Ms Little-Pengelly said the Executive discussion showed there was “clear division” over the issue.

She said: “The challenge for the minister, in terms of trying to implement the policy she has set out, she needs to bring forward those matters to the Executive for consideration and agreement.

“We cannot have a situation where our Economy Minister is setting down politically-motivated trade policy because Israel today, what next?

“There are processes and safeguards there for this. This is a matter which of course should come to the Executive, I think it is absolutely inarguable that the issue is controversial, there is no doubt there is a potentially huge impact of this.”

The deputy First Minister accused Ms Archibald of “political grandstanding”.

The Economy Minister is also facing a legal challenge over her bid to exclude Northern Ireland from any involvement in trade talks between the UK and Israel.

The pre-action protocol letter has been issued by pro-union think tank Unionist Voice Policy Studies (UVPS).

The group says that as international trade policy is not a devolved issue, Ms Archibald has no authority to act on the matter.