Written answers

Tuesday, 14 November 2006

Department of Foreign Affairs

Human Rights Issues

9:00 am

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he will take regarding the killing of Palestinian women in the Middle East by the Israeli armed forces. [37404/06]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is deeply concerned by the rising toll of death and destruction in Gaza. Last week, I unreservedly condemned the deaths of 18 civilians, including women and children, in the shelling by the Israeli Defence Forces of the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. The UN has reported that, since the beginning of the latest Israeli military operation in the area on 1 November, 82 Palestinians have been killed, 39 of them civilians. In the same period, one Israeli soldier has been killed in Gaza. I have called very clearly for an immediate end to all violence. This includes the ending of the Israeli military operation and the firing of rockets on Israel from Palestinian Territory.

The Government and our EU partners have regularly reminded all parties of their obligation to protect civilian lives. We have stated on many occasions that Israel has a right to defend itself against attack, but that any action must be in accordance with international humanitarian law, and not at the expense of the lives and welfare of innocent civilians.

The terrible violence of recent months, in the Occupied Territories and in Lebanon, underlines that there can be no military or unilateral solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Government has been active in direct contact with the parties, within the EU and at the UN in arguing strongly that the only way forward for the Israeli and the Palestinian people is the negotiation of a viable two-State solution. The EU strongly supports the continuing efforts of President Mahmoud Abbas to negotiate the formation of a Palestinian national unity government. If a government is formed which is committed to a two-State solution and based on the ending of violence, the Government will argue for a generous and creative political response by the EU. All parties have a clear duty to act now to revive a credible peace process, and avoid further tragedies such as those witnessed in the Occupied Territories in recent weeks.

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise at all appropriate forums as a matter of urgency the need to revoke the death penalty on Mumia Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther spokesperson and journalist currently in prison in the United States, noting that the appeals procedure is nearing its end and the widespread view that he is innocent of the killing of a policeman for which he was convicted. [37413/06]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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EU Member States collectively express their strong concerns regarding the death penalty to the United States Government on a regular basis. However, given the number of death penalty cases in the United States, the EU restricts its interventions in respect of individual cases to those involving EU nationals, juveniles, mentally retarded detainees or violations of the detainee's rights under the Vienna Convention. As none of these criteria applies in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, EU intervention is not foreseen in this instance.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government is adamantly opposed to the use of the death penalty and accordingly seeks its universal abolition. We believe that its abolition contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights.

We will continue to engage in dialogue with the US authorities to seek abolition of the death penalty, and are seeking in the interim the introduction of moratoria at state level and the reintroduction of the de facto moratorium at federal level.

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