Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before the announcement in Jerusalem, there actually was quite a lot of hope. The European Union was waiting for a new US initiative. When I was at the UN General Assembly in New York, I met Dr. Riyad al-Maliki, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Palestine. There was a sense of positivity that they were waiting for a new initiative that the Palestinians would be able to support. There were the beginnings of some momentum there, particularly given the very close relationship between the current US Administration and the Israeli Government. Such closeness can actually deliver change, in my view, in a very positive way. It was the announcement on Jerusalem which set the whole process back in respect of trust between Palestinians and the ability of the US - on its own - to bring forward an initiative. That is why they are now saying they recognise, of course, that the US needs to be involved in a new initiative but they need other countries involved also to ensure the kind of balance they are seeking.

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