Taiwan says Israeli settlement aid talks 'not crossing red line'

Taipei, July 29 (CNA) A senior official from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday that a potential donation to a medical project in an Israeli settlement would not cross any red lines, despite criticism from rights groups.

"We have not crossed any red lines, [and] that is our assessment," Philippe Yen (顏嘉良), director-general of MOFA's Department of West Asian and African Affairs, said at a news briefing in Taipei.

Yen said Taiwan and Israel are currently engaged in "exploratory" talks about providing what Taipei described as humanitarian assistance to the occupied West Bank.

"No decision has been made and no plan is underway," he said, effectively denying reports that Taiwan's representative to Israel, Abby Lee (李雅萍), had committed to make a donation to the Nanasi Medical Center in Sha'ar Binyamin, located in the occupied West Bank north of Jerusalem.

The official confirmed that Lee had signed a "declaration of partnership" during a visit to the Binyamin Regional Council in early July, at the invitation of Israeli lawmaker Ohad Tal.

However, the declaration only outlined a mutual intention to engage in dialogue on medical issues, without mentioning any funding obligations, he said.

The international community generally regards Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal under international law, a position the Israeli government disputes.

In an advisory opinion issued in July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded that "all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory."

"They are also under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel's illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the ICJ noted.

According to Yen, the ICJ's advisory opinion was "non-binding" and Taiwan's potential engagement did not fall under its purview.

Nonetheless, reports about Taiwan's potential aid have sparked an outcry from human rights groups, with Chiu E-Ling (邱伊翎), head of Amnesty International Taiwan, saying Taiwan's reported involvement "could make it complicit in Israel's violations of international law."

"When Taiwan chooses to fund projects that exclusively serve Israeli settlers -- Palestinians are barred from living in Israeli settlements -- it contributes to legitimizing and maintaining Israel's system of apartheid," Chiu said in an op-ed for The Diplomat earlier this week.

Meanwhile, informal civic groups plan to protest outside MOFA on Aug. 3, calling on the government to immediately halt all financial support to Israel.

In response, Yen said the government respected the groups' right to freedom of speech and assembly.

He added that Taiwan also provided assistance to Palestinians following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023, donating US$500,000 to an American NGO delivering food, water, clothing, tents, and other humanitarian aid to Gaza.