Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise to members and guests for the technical difficulties that arose earlier and are responsible for this delay. I congratulate the technical team for waving some magic dust to allow us to commence. I express my concern and pass on my condolences to those injured and killed by attacks on both sides over recent days in Gaza, Israel and East Jerusalem. I call on those with influence in the region to use that influence to stop the violence, end the indiscriminate attacks and say the best way forward must involve dialogue, de-escalation and engagement by the international community with both sides in the conflict, being mindful of the application of international law and UN resolutions. We all need to act urgently to de-escalate from current unacceptable activities.

On behalf of members of the committee, I warmly welcome ambassador head of mission of Palestine to Ireland, Dr. Jilan Abdalmajid; Mr. Éamonn Meehan, a board member of Sadaka; Dr. Susan Power, head of legal research and advocacy at Al-Haq and Sadaka board member; and I particularly thank Professor Noura Erakat, assistant professor at Rutgers University, New Jersey, who joins us from the east coast of the United States at an early hour. I am grateful they have all taken time to join us. I also welcome our members and thank members and witnesses for their patience earlier.

Today, the committee commences an important body of work, namely, a review of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories in respect of displacements and demolition of public and private buildings. We look forward to hearing from our guests. Along with the meeting this afternoon, we have scheduled further meetings on Thursday and on Tuesday of next week. The committee has also sought written submissions from a number of interested parties, organisations and bodies. At the end of this process, the committee intends publishing a report on the process.

The format of this afternoon's meeting is that we will hear the opening statements of our witnesses and guests before going into a question and answer session with members of our committee. We are time-limited due to Covid restrictions but it is my intention to add on the lost time. I remind members that we are in some way limited due to Covid restrictions. I ask that the witnesses be conscious of the time constraints when initially addressing the committee by way of opening statement.

I thank everybody for forwarding their opening statements in writing. They are invaluable to us in the context of our work. Following the opening statements, there will be a discussion with questions and answers from members of the committee. In the first round of questions, each member will have seven minutes for questions and answers. After six minutes, I will state that there is one minute remaining. Should time permit, we will open the meeting at the end to deal with other outstanding questions. We intend to conclude two hours from now.

I am obliged to remind our witnesses of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Witnesses will be directed to discontinue their remarks in that event. It is imperative that such a direction be complied with.

For witnesses attending remotely from outside the Leinster House campus, there are some limitations to parliamentary privilege and, as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness who is physically present. Witnesses participating in this committee session from a jurisdiction outside the State are advised that they should also be mindful of domestic law and how it may apply to the evidence given to this committee.

I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make that official in any way identifiable. I remind members that they are only allowed to participate in the meeting if they are physically located in the Leinster House complex or the Convention Centre Dublin where the Dáil and Seanad are meeting today.

For anybody watching this meeting online, some Oireachtas Members and witnesses are accessing this meeting remotely. Due to these unprecedented and challenging circumstances and the large number of people attending the meeting remotely I ask everybody to bear with us if we experience some technical difficulties that I hope do not frustrate the meeting any further.

If the ambassador and head of mission is with us, I ask her to commence proceedings by making her opening statement to us.