Ms Jenn Byrne:

I can speak about aid projects between 2001 and 2011. A parliamentary question at EU level was asked about the funding provided. During that period €49 million worth of EU funded and member state projects were destroyed. A question was raised whether member states and the European Union could claim back some of the money from Israel. A motion to claim it was put to a vote, but the vote went against it. There is no will at EU level to ask for reparations to cover the cost of the destroyed EU funded projects. That lack of will extends to removing barriers to EU aid. When one walks around the West Bank - I have been on the West Bank and in Gaza - one sees signs everywhere on US Aid, EU and EU member state funded structures, but that does not mean they are safe. Water towers donated by the Swedish Government were demolished.

We can talk about this, but the political will is not there. I believe this has to come at a member state level and not an EU level, because there are big players such as Germany which will vote against it.