Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The new US Administration of President Trump is very much in its infancy. It has not yet made clear its intentions on the matter of the Middle East peace process. There seems to be a degree of thinking aloud going on, which, in the circumstances, can hardly be regarded as greatly helpful. There are concerns in this regard. However, with every new US Administration, one must wait and see what it will actually do, what policies will be implemented and the manner in which this implementation will take place. To be fair, Secretary of State Tillerson has only just got his feet under his desk. There are, however, good reasons why the international community continues to be engaged in this issue. The international community has been strongly united in support of a two-state solution for many years. This support has been restated by the United Nations in Security Council Resolution 2334 and the declaration at the Paris conference. Deputy Paul Murphy makes an important point: those who doubt the feasibility of the two-state solution need to set out their own solution that provides dignity and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians.

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