Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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The delegation mentioned EU property. A Liberal Democrats Member of Parliament put a question to the Commission and it was said in response that from May 2001 to October 2011, €30 million worth of infrastructure invested in by the European Union was destroyed. It has been said that €50 million worth of infrastructure has been destroyed. It seems that much of the infrastructure invested in by the European Union is targeted specifically. This, in itself, is a reason the European Union should respond.

It was stated today that nothing has changed. This would be the wrong message to send out because, if anything, circumstances are getting worse. The delegates referred to the change in area C. What is occurring is ethnic cleansing. People are being forced off their land and not allowed water, jobs or homes. In the area in question, Palestinians were in the majority but now settlers comprise the majority. We are old enough to remember what happened in parts of Derry, where people were discriminated against in respect of housing and jobs. There is a similar pattern, only worse, in the area in question. Somebody must say stop.

I am old enough to remember the anti-apartheid picket outside Dunnes Stores years ago. We all had very strong positions on apartheid. A couple of women and one young man decided they were not going to handle the goods from South Africa. This sent a message around the world. Perhaps such small beginnings matter. I do not know whether workers will take up the baton. We, as parliamentarians, have a responsibility to encourage our leaders to step up to the plate on this matter.