David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests. It is important that when a report such as the Amnesty report is sent to the committee and we hold hearings on it, we also have balance. That is the purpose of this meeting - to listen to the other side and give it an opportunity to refute some of the issues put forward. I want to move on from the report, although I know we are here to discuss it. Last week, Professor Lynk appeared before the committee. I described his presentation as amounting to grim reading. I am interested to hear what Ms Goodall has to say in respect of that report. It may not be appropriate for her to comment on it today but she may be able to do so another day or in writing. The report of the special rapporteur makes strong allegations that apartheid does exist in the occupied territories. He refers to officers of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights being refused visas to visit the occupied Palestinian territories. Why is that the case? He cites people such as Ban Ki-moon, Desmond Tutu and a former Attorney General of Israel mentioning apartheid. His report is very strong. It contains three recommendations. He refers to the UN re-establishing a special committee against apartheid to investigate all and any practices of systematic discrimination or oppression purportedly amounting to apartheid anywhere in the world, including in the occupied Palestinian territories or disputed territory. He recommends that the international community accept and adopt the findings of Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights organisations that apartheid is being practised by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory and beyond. It is a hard-hitting report. In the interests of balance and fairness, I would be very interested to hear what Ms Goodall has to say about that report and, if she can, to refute each of the points it makes. If she cannot do so today, I ask that she do so in writing.