Dáil debates

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

1:50 pm

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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8. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the arrest and jailing of five Palestinian fishermen in Egypt in September, for accidently crossing into Egyptian territorial waters; the worsening situation for Gaza’s fishermen, who due to Israel’s blockade of Gaza are being forced to fish closer to the Egyptian border; and if he will raise the issue with the Egyptian and Israeli Governments and encourage them both to lift the illegal blockade and siege of Gaza. [41155/13]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I have consistently called for an end to all restrictions on movement in and out of Gaza and will continue to do so. I have also commented on the specific restrictions placed on fishermen. Even though the limit enforced by Israel has been extended from three miles to six, this is still very restrictive and the local exhaustion of stocks caused by overfishing in a very restricted area has led to the collapse of Gaza’s fishing industry which is an important source of food. In recent years Gaza fishing boats have often sailed to Egyptian ports to buy fish instead of catching it.

Egyptian controls on movement into Gaza are partly dictated under the terms of the agreement with Israel by which the Sinai was restored and partly by security concerns concerning the infiltration of militant groups and weapons into Egypt from Gaza. I have encouraged Egypt to allow movement to and from Gaza as much as possible. In recent months, however, these security concerns have been very much heightened, leading to tighter controls and Egyptian measures against the smuggling tunnels. The Egyptian authorities may likewise fear that fishing vessels may be used to smuggle weapons into Egypt.

I cannot comment on whether the recent case of vessels from Gaza fishing inside Egyptian waters was an accidental occurrence. Egyptian sovereignty over its territorial waters is not an element of the blockade of Gaza.

I do not propose to intervene in this case. However, I would certainly encourage a compassionate and lenient response from the Egyptian authorities to these fishermen, given the terrible pressures on their livelihoods in Gaza.

2:00 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Before the Dáil broke for the summer I put down a question relating to some Irish fishermen in Gaza and their experience of the Israel Defence Forces and navy. The Oslo agreement set the fishing zone at 20 nautical miles but that has been reduced by the Israeli Government. Does the Tánaiste accept it is important in terms of food and nutrition that the people of Gaza have access to the sea? The latest difficulty has Egyptian authorities blocking ships that drift into the area, which is also not helping. There have been attacks in the past and subsequent arrests, so does this signal a new era for Egyptian authorities? I heard the comments regarding the closure of many of the tunnels. Will the Irish Government condemn the Egyptian decision to close the Rafah crossing? Is this indicating a new direction for Egyptian authorities, which will worsen the stranglehold on the Gazan people?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland is very much to the fore in keeping an international focus on Gaza, despite the evidence of other issues in the region. There has been some easing of the blockade in recent years but it has amounted to far too little to allow the Gaza Strip to resume normal life. Economic activity is moribund and the population is dependent on humanitarian assistance and smuggling, which in some cases is controlled by militant groups. People's quality of life has deteriorated and we continue to stress the need to lift the blockade.

The matter has been compounded by developments in Egypt, which is bound by agreements with Israel under which Sinai was returned. It has security concerns of its own. The opening of the Rafah border has been an important safety valve for Gaza and I encourage Egypt to allow as much movement through it as possible. It can never be the real solution to Gaza, as Rafah is a single checkpoint in a remote location.

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Does the Tánaiste agree that the brutal suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood and the rise of the new authority in Egypt has been unfortunate for Palestinians? The West has tolerated this brutal suppression and little was said about the 1,300 protesters that were killed. We had to listen to John Kerry tell us that this was the restoration of democracy, which was unfortunate. Does the Tánaiste agree that we must look out for Palestinians even more with another enemy on the other side?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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What has happened in Egypt has had an impact not just on Israel and Palestine but also on the wider region. We must consider the progress that has been made, and talks are now under way between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, which follows from the initiative that the US Secretary of State, Mr. Kerry, took following his appointment. I discussed that initiative with him on a number of occasions, along with other European foreign Ministers.

Last week I discussed the issues with both the Secretary of State and the Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister, Riyad al-Maliki. I am hopeful, but we have been here before, as talks have commenced but not led to a conclusion. I hope this round of talks will lead to a conclusion and settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.