Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

While the Minister of State's reply goes a little further towards even-handedness, it is unacceptable. There is no reference to the fact that 60 Hamas politicians have been rounded up and arrested near Ramallah by Israel. Israel speaks of 87 people arrested overnight, of whom it says 64 were members of Hamas and 23 were members of other factions. The Palestinian Liberation Organisation says 84 people have been arrested, including seven cabinet officials and 21 members of the Palestinian Parliament. It is extraordinary that the Minister of State, in replying to a question such as mine, did not condemn that. It is not surprising, however, because he refers to the statement of 16 June, which is a pious evasion by the EU. No explicit sanctions have been threatened against Israel for its continuation of illegal settlements in the West Bank. In his reply perhaps the Minister of State will point out such sanctions.

On the other hand, the Palestinians, whose elections he welcomes as free and fair, now find the people it elected are arrested arbitrarily by the Israeli authorities. This has not been condemned. Apparently, it is okay to threaten sanctions on the Palestinian people but to rely on moral suasion against the illegal settlements. There is nothing even-handed about the EU's position. It speaks of laying down conditions for the Hamas but not for the Israeli Government. This afternoon the Minister of State did not even condemn the arrest and detention of members of parliament elected in elections he regards as free and fair. He has not suggested that, for example, in his agreement with the Israeli authorities he will insist on human rights clauses. He has not suggested that he will not deal with Israel until the illegal barrier is removed and he has not asked them to withdraw immediately from the West Bank. What kind of response is that to the flagrant actions that are happening outside every principle of international law? Irish people have a more advanced position and every time they hear the General Council end of statement in Europe they are appalled because they cannot hear the Irish view.

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