Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Will the Irish Government be supporting the Palestinian Authority's request to join the approximately 15 international agencies on the back of this issue? There are 240 Palestinian prisoners who have entered a second month of hunger strike, which is a critical phase, and 40 of them have been hospitalised. Does the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade oppose the use of this so-called administrative detention and support the basic demands of prisoners?

Last week it emerged that the Israeli Army shot dead two unarmed Palestinian protestors just outside Ramallah. From the video evidence it seems the two youths posed no threat and were murdered in cold blood. The UN and US have called for an independent investigation in this regard but I have yet to hear anybody from the Irish Government doing so. Will the Irish Government make a statement on that? The prisoner issue seems to be getting more critical and I would like to hear the Minister's views on it, particularly with regard to the Robben Island declaration. Has the Government a view on that?

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