Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This has been a long-standing issue. There has been a stand-off for a very long period. I am glad that discussions are under way and I want to see those succeed. I think the European Union has a role in supporting the talks. It has a role into the future in its relationship with Israel and with the Palestinian state. It needs to pursue more strongly the conclusions reached in May 2012. Reaching those conclusions in May 2012 was significant because for a long period there had been divided opinion and divided loyalties within and among European Union member states on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Reaching an agreed position was significant but it needs to be followed through and the best way of doing that is in the context of the talks that are taking place.

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