Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for allowing Deputy Nolan and me to bring this very important issue to the attention of the House. Having visited Hebron six months ago, I have seen first-hand the plight of the Palestinians within the city. I saw the Rajabi house itself - the site of the proposed settlement - when I was there. There was a doubt about the legality of the purchase of the house, but the Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that it was legally purchased. The final decision will be with the Minister of Defence in Israel.

The significance of the matter is the impact it will have on the Palestinians who are living there. I have seen myself that the whole centre of the city of Hebron has been sterilised. No Palestinian can engage in business, live within the centre or walk through the city. If I were settler in the city of Hebron and wanted to reach the Minister of State, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, I could simply cross the floor. If I were a Palestinian, I would have to take a circuitous route around the building and come back to meet with him. That is the life of the Palestinians living there. The proposed settlement will split the communities within the city of Hebron and increase tensions which are already rising.

This is part of a wider issue. Negotiations are ongoing within a sham peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It is split at the moment. Within the West Bank area, the Israelis have a policy of not forcibly but gradually removing farmers from land and householders from their properties. I hope that in his response, the Minister of State will offer strong support for the Palestinians, particularly those in the Hebron area. Within the location of the house which has been purchased, there will be sterilisation. Businesses will close and Palestinians in the locality will have to generate their activity elsewhere.

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