Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was hoping to go to Israel and the Middle East more generally last week but particular people in certain areas were not available so we have postponed that visit to a later date in the next number of months. I want to visit the Middle East more generally to meet my Israeli counterpart and others in the region to discuss these issues.

The ongoing demolition and seizure of Palestinian property is a matter I follow closely, along with my European Union counterparts. I am deeply concerned the UN has reported, as I said earlier, a significant increase in such activity in 2023.

Visible solidarity with those affected is an important element of our response. Ireland's representative office in Ramallah has made a number of visits, along with European Union colleagues to sites of concern in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since April. Most recently, on Sunday of this week, they joined European Union and international partners in visiting a family facing imminent forced eviction from their home in Jerusalem's old city. Ireland's embassy in Tel Aviv also raises these matters in its regular contact with the Israeli authorities.

Such actions by the Israeli authorities are among several worrying trends we are witnessing, including escalating violence and increasing civilian casualties. I have been consistently forthright in underlining Ireland's clear position on these matters, including the obligation of Israel as the occupying power, to protect civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.

I have not yet had the opportunity to meet directly with my Israeli counterpart, Foreign Minister Cohen, although I hope to do so in due course with a view to reiterating our concerns on these matters.

A sustained European Union focus is also a priority. I welcome that the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr. Eamon Gilmore, visited the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel last week. While there he raised concerns about several issues, including settler violence, the use of lethal force by the Israeli Defence Forces, IDF, civilian deaths and demolitions.

Ireland is part of a group of EU member states pursuing compensation for confiscated or demolished humanitarian structures, funded by donors such as Ireland, through the West Bank Protection Consortium. The consortium has sought compensation of more than €1.3 million in respect of confiscated or demolished assets since 2015. Ireland provided €300,000 in funding to the consortium in 2022, underlying our commitment to reducing the vulnerability of Palestinian communities living in area C of the West Bank.

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