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

I thank the Deputy for his question. I know he has a personal interest in this issue, as do I. There are several parallel strands of activity in regard to the Middle East peace process which inform Government policy on the Middle East generally.

On the political front, over the past year the US Administration has been actively exploring the possibility of relaunching the process to reach a comprehensive peace agreement, which is welcome. I have met and spoken to the US team on a number of occasions, including in the United Nations last week, to encourage its work and to underline the key parameters for an agreement which the European Union has long espoused.

I have been clear in my conversations with the United States that a peace plan can only work if it engages Palestinian support, as well as Israeli support. In this regard, I have also urged President Abbas to keep an open mind on the US plans, despite justifiable Palestinian frustration at cuts in US funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, and other Palestinian programmes and at the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. These are decisions that I have criticised on many occasions, including last week.

Ireland and the EU are also working on the ground to address the negative impacts of the occupation and to keep open the physical space necessary for a two-state solution, which I believe to be the only basis for a solution. The Government has committed in the programme for Government to recognising the state of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement to the conflict. I have made clear, including during the visit of President Abbas, that I have an open mind on this question. I am very mindful of the situation on the ground and I will be ready to look again at recognition if progress is not being made towards a comprehensive peace agreement.

It is important to sustain the hope of the Palestinian people in the face of their natural frustration with the lack of a political process to move things forward. To this end, I am also working with the Palestinian Authority to explore the idea of bringing a small number of European and Arab ministers to Dublin to consider next steps in terms of a political conversation. We are also keeping open the dialogue with the Israeli Government. I met the outgoing Israeli ambassador this week. We hope to develop the proposal on a meeting of European and Arab ministers in consultation with partners in the coming days.

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