Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

106. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the concrete and effective pressure that his Department will place on Israel to curb the recent influx of violence in the region and to prevent the possible development of another violent conflict in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36846/15]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This question relates to the recent upsurge in violence in the West Bank between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the disproportionate use of force by the Israeli authorities in dealing with that trouble.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will not repeat fully the reply I gave to Priority Question no. 101. I agree it is important that we do everything we can to avoid a further escalation of the situation into a full-scale conflict. The surrounding region offers a salutary lesson of how much worse things could be. It is important in addressing the situation not to focus on the sufferings or shortcomings of one side because civilian deaths continue to occur on both sides. The address to the current violence must involve the leaders on both sides reacting responsibly and with restraint and reducing rather than stoking up the temperature.

Measures by the international community need to be carefully considered at such a sensitive time lest we ourselves contribute to the heightening of tension in the region. High Representative Mogherini, in a recent visit, stressed to both sides the need to de-escalate and avoid provocative actions on the ground as well as to re-open a perspective for political progress. A commitment by Israel to respect the status quoin holy places is clearly one essential element of this process.

Ireland has consistently argued for a stronger engagement by the international community, including the European Union, on the issues on the ground which we believe continue to heighten tension and thereby undermine the real prospects for peace. These centre, in particular, on the settlement enterprise. The EU has begun more clearly to follow a clear policy of differentiation between the settlements and Israel, including, so far, action on settlement goods and investment in the settlements. I assure the Deputy that it is my intention to see soon the promised EU guidelines on the labelling of settlement goods and I wrote last Friday to High Representative Mogherini in this regard. I expect the matter to be on the agenda for the forthcoming Foreign Affairs Council meeting. It is essential that such pressures continue beyond the current crisis. In the immediate future, it is important that measures be assisted by the international community to de-escalate the violent activity in Jerusalem and beyond.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. Unfortunately the response puts blame on both sides for the escalation in violence in the area. This is the typical response of the Government and shows the failure of diplomatic efforts. There is no doubt but that any reasonable person looking at the context of what is happening will see that 42 Palestinians, including children, have been killed by the Israelis in recent weeks. Ten Israelis have been killed and more than 1,300 Palestinians have been injured. An Eritrean national was shot dead by Israeli security forces because he was mistaken for an Arab. The violence is disproportionate and I believe the onus to be on the Israeli side to engage in the peace process. Rather than publicly trying to derail the peace process, the Israeli side should engage in it.

That should be the focus of European governments' and of the Irish Government's objectives in dealing with this process as well. The Palestinians have called for restraint and Palestinian security forces have been instructed not to participate in any of the protests, yet the Israeli armed forces continue to kill Palestinian civilians. The onus is on the Israelis to engage in the peace process. The Palestinians want the peace process and they want to talk, but the Israelis do not. Unfortunately, the European Union and the Irish Government through their stance are supporting the Israelis and ignoring the prospects for a peace process.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I again repeat the call for all sides to exercise restraint. The Irish Government and the European Union continue to state clearly that all violence against civilians must end, that both sides should avoid any provocation and that both sides should respect fully the existingstatus quo in respect of holy sites and places. In addition, the European Union is underlining that the lack of a political path is clearly exacerbating the sense of despair which may have fuelled some of the recent attacks. All parties should recommit themselves to a renewed effort to work for a political solution to the overall conflict. Only two weeks ago the EU High Representative, Federica Mogherini, visited Israel and Palestine to underline these messages in person. Earlier this year I, too, had the opportunity to visit the region, and last Friday I committed myself to writing on the matter of having this issue high on the agenda for the forthcoming meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 16 November next.

I urge Deputy Pringle to read the High Representative's address to the European Parliament on 22 October last, in which she elaborated on the approach of the European Union. She stated clearly that two goals must be pursued in parallel - first, de-escalation on the ground and, second, perspectives on a political process. These two must go together. This issue continues to be more urgent than ever.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister referred to despair. There is certainly despair in the individual who attacks civilians with a knife in the face of armed soldiers and armed police. That is the side where the despair is. Unfortunately, the European Union is building and contributing to that despair by continuously kowtowing to the Israelis and not forcing them back to the table and to the peace process. That is where the despair originates. The Israeli soldiers, armed to the teeth and standing at checkpoints and in the streets of Jerusalem, are not despairing. They are relishing the fact that they can take violent action on the Palestinian community. The Minister must stand with the people who are despairing and strongly reinforce the policy that the peace process must take precedence. That can only be done by talking to the Israelis, not by urging calm on both sides on the streets.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Of course, I agree with the Deputy that any response from a security point of view must be proportionate in the circumstances. However, we must also look to the medium and long term. It is important that we reiterate our goal and objective. A negotiated two-state solution remains the objective of Ireland and of the European Union. It is also important that we acknowledge what some commentators have argued, that the continued expansion of the settlements means that a viable Palestinian state is heading beyond reach. As I said earlier, there is no alternative to the two-state solution, and certainly not one that has been advanced by way of any form of convincing response.

I believe viability in the future depends on the parameters and the detail of negotiations in terms of land swaps and other arrangements. A two-state solution is possible but it will require vision and leadership. That leadership and vision must come from, primarily, the Israeli and Palestinian sides. However, the international community continues to have a role to play and Ireland has an important role to play in that context, having regard to our experience of conflict on our island.