An der Chamber gouf iwwer déi international Obligatioune vu Lëtzebuerg debattéiert
The LSAP, the Greens and the Left requested the debate following two notes in which the Chamber's scientific committee considered the issues of Luxembourg's international responsibility.
Franz Fayot of the LSAP sees the conclusions of the notes as a clear mandate for the government to act:
"They tell us that a purely passive stance is incompatible with Luxembourg's international obligations. Luxembourg must take measures to end the illegal occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories and Luxembourg must neither actively nor passively support this occupation."
The recommendations were sufficiently clear, including an import ban from the illegal settlements, to a total weapons embargo.
Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel proposed one of these measures in his response:
"Tomorrow [Friday] the Government Council's agenda will include a bill on import bans from these settlements. It has been tabled and I will present it then. Normally we wouldn't discuss the agenda, but at any rate I have referred it to the Council and I hope we will agree on it tomorrow."
Fayot welcomed the minister's announcement. But Bettel emphasised that national measures, especially from smaller countries like Luxembourg, are merely symbolic. He would prefer international solutions, he explained, but considered that these are difficult to achieve at the moment.
CSV leader Laurent Zeimet considered the scientific committee's conclusions more critically, saying complex legal questions demand careful legal conclusions:
"Here we believe the study came to far-reaching conclusions and concrete recommendations too quickly on several points. In particular, on the question of which obligations under international law actually arise for Luxembourg and to what extent these obligations require national sanctions or trade restrictions. In our opinion, the necessary distinction is not always made between what is binding under international law, what is legally disputed and what ultimately remains a political decision."
Among other things, a motion was also submitted by the LSAP calling for a complete arms embargo on Israel and a refusal to grant export licenses for so-called dual-use goods. These are products that cannot be used solely for civilian use. This motion was rejected by the majority, with the argument that strict export controls are already in place in this country.
