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

I thank the Deputy for the question. This was my third visit to Israel and Palestine as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and my first such visit to Jordan and Cyprus. I have reported on the overall visit, including the Jordan and Cyprus elements, in previous parliamentary question replies.

In Israel and Palestine, on 6 and 7 June, I met, on the Israeli side, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Opposition leader, Itzhak Herzog. In Palestine, I met Foreign Minister Malki and Chief Negotiator Erekat, as well as Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh, head of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction. I also met the United States ambassador to Israel to discuss US efforts to develop a peace plan over time.

All my discussions were focused on the broader prospects to restart the political process, centred on current US efforts, which clearly are having limited effect. I also followed up on the discussions I began on my previous visits relating to practical assistance for Gaza and ways of changing the dynamic, something which is especially important following the shocking recent events there. These events, and the heavy Palestinian casualties, of course, featured in my discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu. As would be expected, he defended the actions of his government and its armed forces. I have strongly expressed my criticisms and those of the Government in my public statements, here in the Dail and directly to the Israeli ambassador. They have also been expressed in Ireland’s actions at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. I also used this meeting to engage Mr. Netanyahu in a substantive discussion on practical alternatives for Gaza to seek to find new ways forward there. This was a useful discussion, feeding into ideas which I am continuing to take forward and that involve both Cyprus and Jordan, and, to a certain extent, Egypt.

See this speech in context