United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has urged the Irish Government to take stronger action against Israel, including cutting trade ties.
She also specifically called for Ireland to pass the Occupied Territories Bill.
"Resolving the question in line with international law is much easier than people keep on saying," she said during an interview with Prime Time, "I mean, politicians are just kicking the can in the air and meanwhile the multilateral order made also of the International Criminal Court is falling apart."
Ms Albanese, an Italian international law expert, said Ireland should also stop US planes moving through Shannon Airport, and divest from Israeli bonds.
"Having American aeroplanes transferring weapons toward Israel and transiting through the Shannon Airport is very problematic," she said, "having the State of Ireland still holding Israeli bonds is very problematic because this is going to funnel to - and to fund - the occupation."
The Irish Government has repeatedly denied that Shannon Airport is used to transfer weapons.
In response to questions in the Dáil last June, then-Tánaiste Micheál Martin said: "There is absolutely no evidence at all to suggest any airport in Ireland or Irish sovereign airspace is being used to transport weapons to the conflict in the Middle East."
However, Opposition politicians have described the Government stance on the movement of weapons as 'see no evil hear no evil'.
Speaking during her interview with presenter Fran McNulty, Ms Albanese also described the European political leadership’s approach to Gaza as "completely spineless".
"The end game here is annihilating any Palestinian breath in what remains of Palestine. There is nothing that will stop Israel until Israel is stopped," she said.
"So why [are] sanctions not imposed? Why [are] member states like Ireland still, still trading with Israel? I understand Ireland is one of the most principled countries in Europe and still, still we are far from where we should be," she added.
Israel rejects accusations of genocide, saying it is conducting military operations aimed at destroying Hamas in response to the 7 October 2023 attacks which saw 1,200 Israelis killed.
Ms Albanese’s remarks come after a renewal of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, which have killed over 500 Palestinians in the past 48 hours alone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the Israeli military to renew strikes on targets in Gaza, ending the two-month ceasefire, following the "repeated refusal to release our hostages" by Hamas.
Hamas appears to be refusing to release more hostages unless Israel moves to the next stage of the previously agreed ceasefire deal, which involves Israeli troops beginning to withdraw from Gaza.
Speaking about what has occurred in recent days, Ms Albanese said: "The only legitimate thing is for Israel to withdraw from the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Instead, what’s the reason for assaulting the devastated population of Gaza again?
"I would like to see a return to the ceasefire for the devastated, starved, tormented, traumatised genocide survivors in Gaza, and for the hostages and the family of the hostages, and all the hostages.
"It won't happen without a robust, solid and principled intervention by the international community, that seems to be lacking."
When asked about Hamas’s role in the conflict, Ms Albanese condemned the group’s 7 October attack but argued that the key issue to focus on at this point is Israeli military action.
"Of course, Hamas have responsibility. Look, I have condemned Hamas for the killing, taking hostages of civilians on 7 October, and what has been done to the Israeli civilians also before 7 October, There is no question about that," she said.
"But if you expect me to say that the blame is on the Palestinians, whomever we are... I mean, the first victims of Hamas have been the Palestinians," she added.
