Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

Yesterday in the House we had the Palestinian, Dr. Nabil Sha'ath. I recommend a good publication to people in the House which deals with Palestine and Irish politics. It reflects upon the visit of de Valera to the USA in 1919 and 1920 where he addressed the Indian population. It was posted throughout the USA as President de Valera's message to India. In the 1930s, de Valera opposed the partition of Palestine at the League of Nations and opposed Britain's selfish interests there. In the 1950s, de Valera went with Ben Briscoe to Israel and met Ben Gurion. However, he went on to Ramallah to criticise the plight of Palestinian refugees who were living in atrocious conditions there. After Suez, Liam Cosgrave, as Minister for External Affairs, denounced Israel for its influence on that war. Frank Aitken brought a three-point plan to the UN Assembly in 1958. After the six-day war in 1967, Ireland protested at the annexation by Israel of the territories of its neighbours. I raise this because the issue of the recognition of Palestinian statehood will be raised in September at the UN. It would be a betrayal of everything this country has stood for and of its unflinching support for the Palestinian people if the Tánaiste as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade either abstained or opposed the resolution.