Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to bring to the attention of the House a disturbing article written by the distinguished Sky News journalist, Tim Marshall. It relates to the treatment of Palestinians in Palestinian jails. It arises out of the death, in circumstances which are being contested, of a Palestinian, Arafat Jaradat, in an Israeli prison. I understand the results of the post mortem will be made public next week, and the Israelis say they may allow international observers access to the documentation. As a result of the tragic death of Arafat Jaradat, there was an outpouring of anger, with demonstrations in the West Bank and a symbolic one day hunger strike by 3,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

I want to contrast that with what is happening to Palestinians in Palestinian jails about which there is no protest or international comment. Mr. Marshall refers to Palestinians, saying they are well aware that few people will stand up for them if they are taken into the police stations and prisons run by the Palestinian authorities in either Gaza or the West Bank.

They know that torture is routine in these establishments and that deaths in custody occur. This is supported by the Independent Commission for Human Rights, the official ombudsman for Palestine, which has documented the hundreds of illegal detentions and beatings administered by a Palestinian police force in the West Bank which is funded and trained by the European Union. Between January 2009 and July 2012, the ombudsman received 584 complaints of torture and inhuman treatment in the West Bank alone. Despite the volume of complaints, Human Rights Watch says it cannot find a single case in which a Palestinian official has been punished for serious abuse. It is also stated in Mr. Tim Marshall's article that the Palestinian authorities are said to use "shabah" as a routine method of torture, whereby the detainee is forced into excruciatingly painful stress positions for prolonged periods.

I raise this matter in the House as there has been an ongoing critique - rightly so in many cases - of the Israeli treatment of Palestinians, but we have never heard the other side of the story. We have not heard about what Mr. Marshall has uncovered and brought forth. I ask that the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, raise the matter during Ireland's Presidency. I ask the Leader to convey to the Tánaiste the very serious questions that have arisen as a result of Mr. Tim Marshall's report. I ask that the Tánaiste come to the House to make a statement on the matter or, at the very least, that the Leader convey to him what I record today and obtain a response.