Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The point I am making is I would like Ireland to be an influential country in this space. I visited Israel and Palestine for the fifth time in four years last week. Had it not been for Covid, I probably would have been there for the eighth time. I am investing on behalf of the members, because I know many people in this room and in the Dáil and Seanad care deeply about this issue. I am investing in building relationships with political leaders in the Palestinian Authority, PA, and the new Israeli Government, because, I want Ireland to be a positive influence on trying to create the conditions for a peace negotiation, which is the only way a Palestinian state can emerge on the basis of agreement. The language we use is listened to and covered closely in Israel. Many Israelis see that blurred boundary between being a critic of Israeli foreign policy and anti-Semitism as an area I am concerned about in terms of my effectiveness to be internationally influential in this space. We should think about that.

Unfortunately, while there is a famine and extraordinary human suffering in parts of the Tigray region in Ethiopia, this is not confined to Tigray any longer. There is a real risk that a country of more than 115 million people could fracture, in a part of Africa that would be thrust into extraordinary uncertainty and instability should that happen. Ethiopia is on the verge of civil war. We, along with a number of other countries, are trying to do everything we can to ensure that does not happen. The immediate challenge is to try to get an agreed ceasefire and a negotiation process under way and of course, a massive humanitarian effort to bring supplies of food, medicines and many other things into parts of Ethiopia that need them, especially northern Ethiopia and not just Tigray. However, this is on a knife edge and the international community needs to be active in this space and we are trying to be part of that.

I met the new UN special representative to Yemen while I was in Jordan and got a good briefing on the challenges there. This is very complex. We will not see a huge step forward overnight but he is an impressive person and is working closely with both parties and other countries in the region that are involved in this conflict, in terms of funding, arms and so on, to try to bring about the basis of a ceasefire and safe humanitarian access.

I know Deputy Brady has strong views on the Middle East peace process. I have publicly challenged the designation of the six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations or as supporting such organisations both in Israel and on international media. I have said we need to see the proof of these organisations being terrorist organisations, because, we fund, albeit modestly, two of the six organisations. One of them is Al-Haq and the other is Addameer. One works with prisoners and the other works in advocacy and taking legal cases for people who probably would not otherwise be able to afford to do so.

Our view is the role of NGOs, especially in somewhere such as the occupied Palestinian territories are hugely important in representing vulnerable people. I have certainly seen no evidence to suggest any of the six organisations have links to terrorism. Of course, if that evidence emerges and exists, we will look at it. We will ensure no organisation gets Irish money if it is supporting terrorism or inciting violence. I must add, however, that my senior officials met and had a good meeting with representatives of both Al-Haq and Addameer while we were in Ramallah to discuss how we can continue to support them through the difficulties they clearly now face because of this designation. We will continue to support them until we see evidence we should not. I do not know whether that evidence exists but we have certainly not seen it and we have asked for it. If that changes, I will update the committee.

The role of NGOs and civil society is extremely important in any functioning democracy but even more important somewhere like the West Bank, where that voice is badly needed, even if that creates tension and difficulties for governments such as that of Israel. We do not fund NGOs because they tell us what we want to hear. They always push governments; that is the role of NGOs in society. This decision needs to be questioned and that is why I have done so. By the way, so has the EU. The Deputy stated the EU has been quiet on this issue but it has not. The EU has been quite public in questioning this decision, asking for the evidence and not being convinced by what was provided to it. This is an issue which will continue to be under discussion. In terms of-----