Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the recent forced displacement of Palestinian households in occupied East Jerusalem, the UN last week urged Israel to halt all evictions and demolitions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, immediately after a family was forced out of their home the previous day. I am referring to the Salhieh family. They bought their house in Sheikh Jarrah in 1967, which is a long time ago. It was before this State had joined the EU and at a time when Eamon de Valera was the President. It should go without saying therefore, that, the Salhieh's claim to this land goes way back, and yet an Israeli court has just ruled against the family being allowed to remain in their home. On Wednesday, Israeli police raided the Salhieh home, forcibly removed the family and then demolished their property. Some 25 family members and supporters who had been demonstrating were arrested.

That is just awful. Both Houses have passed a motion to recognise the state of Palestine, but the Government has not formally granted recognition and has said it wishes to do that as part of a wider EU move. The Minister for Foreign Affairs needs to start leading from the front at EU Council meetings and start pushing the EU Council to act. I ask that all diplomatic channels at EU level be used to demand that Israeli authorities stop such actions.

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