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

Many people predicted the new Israeli Government would not last very long because it is a coalition of eight different parties, some of which have diametrically opposing positions on certain issues. However, it has managed to pass a budget, not only for one year but for two, and the expectation now is it may last for a period of time. That is welcome because we need stability in the area and we need an Israeli Government we can talk to as an interlocutor to try to make progress on a peace process about which Irish people care very much.

The signals in regard to the political choices the Israeli Government has made have not been particularly good. Announcements on the expansion of settlements, forced demolitions, evictions, settler violence and Israel's response to that violence are issues about which Ireland is very concerned. I was vocal on those points during my trip to Israel. However, I also think there are members of that Government with whom Ireland should be developing a relationship. They have a very similar perspective to ours.

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