Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have given this to the Deputy before. Sweden has moved on it. We support the achievement of a Palestinian state. The Israeli Government is building housing on areas of the West Bank. If we are not going to have a comprehensive agreement on what constitutes Palestine and what constitutes Israel, we go back to 1948 and the two state solution. Sweden has made its decision and there has been action in Spain and the UK and talk of it in France. A clear series of messages is going to Israel. The Government can continue to wait in the hope of a comprehensive peace agreement, or it can decide to redefine its support for the achievement of a Palestinian state.

I have spoken to the Minister for Foreign Affairs about this and the Government will consider it in the not too distant future. Given that we support a two-state solution, Deputy Adams is asking me now if I recognise the current status of Palestine. Areas there have been built on heavily, as the Deputy is well aware in terms of the subject of discussion here. The Government will look at a redefinition of recognition of the current extent of Palestine, and the Minister will come to the House in due course to discuss that.

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