David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. With regard to Ibrahim Halawa, I believe he was an innocent bystander who was caught up in a whirlwind of events. The strongest possible representation should be made to the Egyptian Government, adhering in particular to the position that Ibrahim Halawa is an Irish citizen.

The Egyptians are resisting this and claiming him willy-nilly as an Egyptian citizen. We should challenge that as hard as we can.

The Minister referred to how I was not present when he made certain statements. I regret that, but I was in the Seanad taking a Commencement matter with Senator Leyden about the village of Susiya.

Regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state, I am not sure that Ireland is early. Quite a number of European countries have already recognised Palestine. It seems an appropriate measure. The Palestinians have been there for a couple of thousand years, whereas the majority of Israeli citizens have only been there since 1948.

Regarding the situation in At-Tuwani, the village was demolished after being there for 200 years because it was supposedly on an archaeological site. That did not present the Israelis from moving in and building a settlement on it. That is an astonishing contradiction.

At the beginning of the Commencement debate, I made five points on, for example, co-ordinated diplomatic presence. I welcome the Minister's statement that our representative in Ramallah has visited Susiya. This is in the tradition of Ms Isolde Moylan in Ramallah. We should co-ordinate this work and ensure a constant presence from among European and other donors. We should ask that demolition orders and legal papers be deposited with the donors. These should cite the legal reasons for the demolitions and these should be examined. If necessary, we should challenge them and seek reparations. How often are we to invest money only to have the Israelis destroy something? They confiscated and destroyed emergency shelters. They confiscated and destroyed a child's slide. This is intimidation. The Secretary General has indicated that two sections of the Geneva Convention have been violated. What is happening with the EUROMED agreement? What is the status of its human rights protocols? We should insist that there be a Palestinian role in planning. It is absurd for the military authorities to be given exclusive control of planning.

Regarding the feis in Israel, I deprecate the suggestions that threats of any kind were made. I challenge Deputy Mitchell to produce evidence of any threat. Were people threatened with violence? Were they threatened with being attacked? They were requested to observe a cultural boycott. I am against an academic boycott, but I am fully in favour of a cultural one. Writing a letter asking that people observe a cultural boycott is not a threat. Certainly, I have received much more threatening material than that in the post.