Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I thank the delegation for attending the meeting. The Quaker organisation and other Christian groups are doing tremendous work. I am very impressed with the Keep Hope Alive campaign which centres on the planting of olive trees in the Palestinian areas. Like other speakers I thank the witnesses for their observations and reporting back because it is ultimately a political issue that must be resolved. It is a tragedy that we are becoming more and more desperate and frustrated in the face of the outbursts and racism of the Israeli settlers. A response is not forthcoming on an internationally agreed platform to the human rights issues and the illegality of what is going on in the Occupied Territories.

The Palestinian ambassador, whom we meet on a regular basis, is frustrated that the two state solution is rapidly becoming more difficult to achieve, essentially because of the unaccountability of the Israelis and the settlers in particular. The speaker of the Knesset and a delegation of parliamentarians from Israel came before this committee. It was remarkable that the speaker was a fifth generation Israeli who had an understanding of the culture of the Arab people. His bright, young Russian emigrant minister was the opposite.

I presume these settlements are being driven by Israel's immigration policy. These people are new arrivals in an ancient land and they have nothing but contempt for the indigenous people. It was interesting, however, that even the speaker of the Knesset is on public record as being outraged at the increasing ferocity of the settlers' racist approach and attitudes to the indigenous Arab-Palestinian population. We should at least recognise that as something progressive that is being debated in the Israeli parliament.

We had a presentation by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and his understanding and empathy in terms of the issues pertaining in the Occupied Territories was interesting. He said that if there was no response to the illegality we may have to consider banning produce or demanding the labelling of produce from the Occupied Territories. Next year will be interesting as we will hold the Presidency of the European Union and I hope we can continue that degree of lobbying of the Tánaiste.

It is frightening that Prime Minister Netanyahu can attempt to intimidate President Obama, in the middle of the presidential election in America, by demanding his response to the Iranian nuclear issue. We have a major international power, a powerful and wealthy country, and a dispossessed and disparate Palestinian population. The delegation has given the committee the report of the gentleman who said that despite being immensely frustrated by his family situation he still had some hope that the international community, particularly European states, would respond to their needs and apply real pressure. The question was asked whether the European Union was doing anything. I understand that the European Parliament's international trade committee has met and is reviewing what it calls the protocol in the association agreement between the EU and Israel, in this context regarding pharmaceutical products. A political debate is taking place in Europe on the protocol and there are some who will argue that unless there is compliance by the Israelis with international law we should seek a deferment of that international agreement for at least two years to allow the Israelis address the illegalities taking place. I urge the committee to engage with our MEPs, on behalf of this country, speaking in the Parliament. This is not a party political broadcast. We should use the services of all our elected MEPs to engage thoroughly in that debate. It will be a brave and difficult move but we should also call the Tánaiste to account for his initial suggestion that we may consider banning products and perhaps ask him to take that action in the future.