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

I have not used the word "apartheid" and I have explained why. We have had a detailed debate on this issue and this report in this House. The Deputy was part of that discussion. The position I outlined then is the same as I have outlined today. Our approach is about bringing about change on the ground, helping Palestinians and holding the Israeli Administration to account for the decisions it takes. We have to build international consensus around that. That is what I am focused on trying to do. The Deputy seems to want Ireland to move into a space where we will be effectively on our own and to use language no other country in the world is using. He seems to think that this will start a domino effect and will change things. If I thought that was the case, I would be looking at it seriously. However, I believe the way to do this is to try to build consensus within the EU and the UN and to try to build groupings of countries that can genuinely put pressure on to force change on issues such as the settlements, forced evictions and settler violence which are undermining and eroding the basis for a peace process. That is what we have been trying to do.

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