Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Brady for bringing forward this motion, to which I was happy to add my name. When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there are no easy answers. If there were, we would have found them by now. A two-state solution is the only solution but it only works where there is trust. There is no trust. We have seen one UN Security Council resolution after another flagrantly ignored and dismissed by Israel. We see Palestinians herded into the open prison of the Gaza Strip, often with no proper access to clean water, sanitation, energy or medical supplies.

Many Palestinians have no future. When you have no future, then you have no hope for the future. All you can do is revolt. This is not an equal conflict and it cannot be approached from that perspective. The reality of the hard-line oppression of Palestinians, the denial of their life choices and the denial of hope have created a cauldron of anger, bitterness and distrust. Annexation of stolen land, illegal settlements and forced evictions stoke the fires of conflict. This is a David and Goliath situation and we know it. We must recognise that the Palestinians are not blameless. However, we need to place the responsibility where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of Israel.

There have been many attempts to negotiate peace between Israel and the Palestinians over the years. There have been many interventions by those who created the problems in the first place, when the British, French and Americans carved up the Middle East in their own interest. Today, self-interest is still the dominating influence on the policies of those countries, which have significantly involved oil, arms supplies and election outcomes, notably in the US. Self-interest, unfortunately, has almost always been a contributing factor to this conflict. Those who are responsible for the creation of the nations of Israel and Palestine are core veto holders of permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

I listened to what the Minister and Ambassador Byrne Nason had to say, both inside and outside the UN. I fully support the Minister but sometimes words are not enough. The pledge he made on Ireland's accession to the Security Council seat was powerful. He stated: "This means saying no at times and standing up for ourselves and our own principles, even when it is a friend coming calling." The power of those words will be immense if they are backed up. If we say "No", we must mean it. I recognise that it is easy for me to ask the Minister to act, but I do so in good faith and not in any attempt to back him into a corner. I believe his heart and head are in the right place.

Deputy Howlin spoke of the actions of the Norwegian wealth funds. The world's largest sovereign wealth fund has excluded two Israeli companies because of their construction work in the Gaza Strip. Norway's Council of Ethics, the independent body that advises this €1.3 trillion fund, stated: "[The] Israeli settlements in the West Bank have been built in violation of international law and... their existence and constant expansion causes significant harm and disadvantage to the area's Palestinian population." Its action is a small step but it matters. We also need to take a step. We could pass the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018), which would be a statement and a step. Whatever we do, we need to move beyond mere condemnation. We cannot salve our conscience with words or by sending aid. Both are necessary but not sufficient. We know they will not work and have never worked. We will not be alone if we take that step to action. I ask the Minister and his colleagues to take it. Even if we are alone, it will be the right thing to do and it will give heft to the words the Minister used on our accession to the Security Council seat. We need to say "No" and we need to mean it.

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