Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

When the Minister makes contact with President Abbas and the Israeli authorities, will he impress upon them that the new peace process should not be derailed by the first atrocity that occurs? Lessons from the Irish peace process should be learned. The Omagh atrocity did not derail our peace process. Will he impress upon the Israeli authorities that President Abbas now needs credibility among his people? President Abbas needs delivery from the Israeli authorities on the disengagement of illegal settlements and the release of non-terrorist prisoners. He also needs delivery on the plantation of Hebron by Israeli settlers which sees poor Palestinians being driven from shanty towns by official actions of the Israeli Government. Last Friday, people who spoke to an Oireachtas delegation to the area were subsequently arrested and their properties razed to the ground. Will the Minister give a guarantee that this appalling incident will be raised? These incidents are not helpful to a peace process.

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