Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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9. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views regarding Israel's recent intensification of plans to construct 450 new settlements in the West Bank; the representations his Department will make denouncing any potential fast-tracking of construction of illegal settlements in the lead-up to Israel's March 2015 elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8303/15]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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This question relates to the settlement rush taking place in the West Bank at the moment in the run-up to the Israeli elections, in which there is a rapidly expanding programme of illegal settlements. What are the Minister and his Department doing to express our concerns to the Israeli Government?

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I have consistently highlighted the Government’s deep concern at the continued expansion of Israeli settlements, which are actively undermining the prospects for a comprehensive peace agreement to end the conflict. I have publicly condemned recent Israeli Government announcements of further settlement expansion and called for these decisions to be reversed. I repeated these concerns during my visit to Israel and the Palestinian territory last week, most notably in my meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Lieberman. This visit also allowed me to see, on the ground, some of the effects that settlements and the measures taken to support them have had upon the existing local communities.

Ireland has consistently pressed the European Union to focus on settlements as a key element to be addressed if a Middle East peace agreement is to be achieved, and we have argued for stronger action on the issue. This could include both more emphatic public and diplomatic messaging and action on specific aspects of the settlement programme, such as land seizures, evictions and demolitions of Palestinian facilities. The EU has already taken a number of actions. Most important, goods produced in settlements attract a higher import duty than goods from Israel, the Palestinian territory or many other places. EU research grants may not be spent in settlements. The EU does not accept Israeli veterinary certification of meat from settlements. Many EU members, including Ireland, advise their citizens against investing or buying property in settlements. The EU has also been examining the question of labelling of settlement products, and I have pressed for that to be moved forward.

I would like the international community, including the EU, to be more active on this issue, and I will pursue this issue further with the High Representative of the European Union at our next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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Everybody in this country knows that the settlements are illegal. They have been condemned by the UN, which stated that they were in breach of international law. The International Court of Justice has ruled that they are illegal and in breach of the Geneva Convention. Today, 800,000 Israeli citizens live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Maybe it has gone too far for expressing deep concern and pressing the EU to take action over these settlements.

The Minister said he advised citizens not to invest in the settlements, but we know that one of our own corporations, CRH, was actively involved in the construction of an apartheid wall in the West Bank.

It has gone beyond the stage of advising and expressing deep concern. We need to take more concrete action than that. Ireland should take more proactive steps to ensure the settlements are stopped.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I accept the continued expansion and development of Israeli settlements constitute a major barrier to peace in the region. Last week I had the opportunity to visit an area in the Palestinian territory adjacent to land that has been marked out for further settlement. I had the opportunity to engage with local public representatives in that regard.

Settlements and their related policies in the majority of the West Bank, known as Area C, seem to be designed to drive the Palestinians from the bulk of the land they occupy and to crowd them into cities under the control of the Palestinian Authority. I believe these procedures are incompatible with what could be described as a genuine commitment to a peaceful and viable two-state solution. It also casts a doubt on the good intentions of any government that pursues them. I had the opportunity to say that directly at a meeting with the Israeli foreign Minister, Mr. Lieberman. In public statements in September and again at the end of October I explicitly condemned the Israeli Government announcements of further settlement expansion and called for these decisions to be reversed.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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I know the Minister has made public statements calling for them to be reversed, but unfortunately all they have been are public statements. It is obvious to everybody that the Israelis have used the softly-softly approach from the international community to continue with the settlement programme and accelerate it. They know because of the attitude of the international community that by the time they get around to doing something, it will be irreversible. That is the situation we are facing now. It is time for the Government to take a very strong stand and to go further than expressing deep concern and issuing public statements. It needs to institute concrete actions that will affect Israel directly and ensure the programme is revisited.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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When I visited the region last week it brought home to me in a very practical and visible way the impacts of the settlements on the daily lives of the people in the region and also the impact on the prospects for future negotiations and peace. I share what the Deputy has said. It is very clear that only the ending of the occupation will resolve the issue of the settlements and other problems affecting the area.

It is right, therefore, that the European Union's priority is to work for a resumption of direct negotiations to reach a peace agreement. The European Union has made clear its readiness to give exceptional support to a peace agreement between the parties. This could be physical support, such as a mission, technical assistance or political support. In the meantime, it is essential that Ireland and the European Union retain a strong focus on the practical issues on the ground, especially the policies on settlements in the West Bank which the Deputy mentioned. It is important that the issue continues to attract our ongoing and positive engagement.