Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Norris. I will pass that compliment on to him. He very strongly advocated the rights of the Palestinian people, and indeed in addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2011, in speech that was groundbreaking at that time, he stated that Ireland would support the Palestinian bid to become a full member of the UN. He repeated this position on numerous occasions as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Like Senator Norris, I have been a long-time supporter of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and of the rights of the Palestinian people. I too found the letter from Israeli citizens to the Irish Times extremely powerful, particularly where they said that the occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem is morally and strategically unsustainable. They were very powerful and important words, saying that it is detrimental to peace and poses a threat to the security of Israel itself.

I wish to commend Senator Black's approach in this Bill in distinguishing between Israel and the occupied territories. That makes the Bill all the more compelling. The Bill seeks to ensure that Ireland upholds its humanitarian obligations by restricting economic activity with settlements which are deemed illegal at international law. There is an impressive coalition of support signed up for the Bill, as others have pointed out. It has been supported by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Trócaire, Christian Aid and by Sadaka and others.

I listened very carefully to what the Minister said and I acknowledge and recognise the immense efforts he has made in trying to further the peace process in the Middle East. As a member of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence, I have raised this with him and with the Department on a number of occasions, and I know how actively engaged he is on that.I think we all recognise that the Tánaiste and the State are committed to a resolution of the crisis in the Middle East and to ensuring that there will be a two-state solution. We recognise the Tánaiste's commitment to multilateral action through the EU. I remind him that other EU member states, including Sweden, have recognised the state of Palestine as a unilateral step in support of the Palestinian people. I think we could do that here, for example, by bringing forward a Bill such as this and supporting it at Government level, without undermining the multilateral attempts that are being made through the EU to bring about a lasting peace settlement in the Middle East. If we were to do something like that, it would be more than a symbolic act in support of the Palestinian people.

Senator Black has agreed to the adjournment of the debate on the Bill. I hope the latter will give us all time to work together to help to achieve a negotiated settlement that will be better for the Palestinian people and will see the rights of the Palestinian people who are so oppressed, particularly in the occupied territories, respected at last.