Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade

Situation in Gaza - Middle East Peace Process: Palestinian and Israeli Ambassadors

4:10 pm

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the ambassador and his delegation and join in extending the sympathy of the Irish people to the families of the more than 2,000 people on both sides who lost their lives unnecessarily.

I hope the recently negotiated ceasefire will help to bring about a situation in which not another life will be lost.
The ambassador raised a major concern I have - I may have misunderstood him, but he might clarify his statement - namely, the process for conducting the peace negotiations. He referred to the lack of a secretariat or structure to progress the peace negotiations. Did I understand that point correctly? If that is the situation and a structure needs to be put in place, does the ambassador see the EU or the USA having a role in helping to put in place an internationally recognised structure which would help the peace negotiations to make real progress?
Will the Palestinian Authority support efforts to seek a long-term political solution based on structural changes to the status quo, including an end to the occupation and a full adherence to international and human rights law? That is a very basic question.
Given the significant damage done to water and sanitation facilities, is there now a major public health issue in Gaza?

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