Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had conversations with his European counterparts regarding diplomatic measures that could dissuade the Government of Israel from its current house demolition practices in East Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39491/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action is he taking to ensure that Irish owned companies are not participating in the erection of the apartheid wall in Israel or in the construction of new roads in Palestinian territories annexed by the Israeli Government. [39468/06]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had discussions with his counterpart in the Government of Israel regarding the demolition of Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39490/06]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations he has made to the Government of Israel on the administrative detention, effectively internment without trial, of up to 950 people, mainly Palestinians, by that Government. [39466/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations he has made to the Government of Israel to secure the release from administrative detention of a person (details supplied). [39465/06]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he is taking directly to monitor the illegal activities of the Israeli Government in continuing to erect an apartheid wall in Palestine, reinforcing illegal settlements and violating the human rights of the Palestinian people. [39467/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 66, 69, 71, 110 and 118 together.

The Government is deeply concerned by the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The terrible violence of recent months serves to underline that there can be no military or unilateral solutions to the Israeli — Palestinian conflict. The Government and our EU partners are determined to continue to work directly with the parties, and internationally, to revive a credible peace process in the Middle East. We have argued strongly that the only way forward for the Israeli and the Palestinian people is the negotiation of a viable two-State solution.

The EU has consistently stated that all parties must demonstrate their commitment to the implementation of their obligations under the Quartet Roadmap, and under international law. The Government and our EU partners have consistently called on the Israeli Government to end all activities in the Occupied Territories which threaten to undermine the viability of a two-State solution and which are against international law. These include the expansion of settlements, the demolition of Palestinian homes and the construction of the separation barrier on occupied land. We have raised these issues directly with the Israeli Government, in conjunction with our EU partners, and at the United Nations. We will continue actively to do so.

As I stated in my reply to a Question on house demolitions on 2 November, the Government continues to follow the situation in East Jerusalem very closely, through the Representative Office in Ramallah and the Embassy in Tel Aviv, and in consultation with Palestinan, Israeli and Irish human rights groups and NGOs. The practice of house demolitions in East Jerusalem is closely linked to the issues of residency status and the expansion of settlements. The Israeli authorities have placed very severe restrictions on the building of houses by Palestinians in East Jerusalem and, in practice, have issued fewer than 100 building permits to Palestinians in the area annually. Many Palestinians have built homes without the permits required by the Israeli authorities because they believe they have no alternative. Both directly and in conjunction with our EU partners, the Government has made it clear to the Israeli Government that it must end the practice of demolition of these homes, which is contrary to international law.

The Deputies will be aware of the Government's strong views on the illegality of the construction of the separation barrier on occupied land. While we recognise the responsibility on the Israeli Government to provide for the security of its citizens, I have regularly expressed my serious concern about the negative consequences of the continuing construction of the barrier, both for the daily lives of the Palestinian people and for the viability of a just and lasting settlement. The Government has raised the issues involved directly with Israel, within the EU and at the United Nations. We have been to the fore in ensuring that the European Union continues to affirm that it will recognise no changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those negotiated between the parties in the context of a final status agreement.

We will continue to monitor developments in relation to the barrier and the construction of settlements, and to make our views known on their illegality. I am not aware of any Irish company which is involved in the construction by Israel of the separation barrier, or of new roads in the Occupied Territories.

In our bilateral contacts with Israel, the Government has regularly conveyed its concerns about the human rights implications of Israeli security policies and the importance of full compliance with international humanitarian law. The EU has serious concerns about the practice of administrative detention in Israel and the Occupied Territories. We have ensured that they are addressed in the EU's continuing political dialogue with Israel. Most recently, the Union's specific concerns about administrative detention were raised at the meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council in Luxembourg on 13 June and at the EU-Israel Sub-Committee on Political Dialogue in Brussels on 9 November.

As Deputies will be aware from my replies to a series of Questions earlier this year, I remain concerned about the specific case mentioned, which has been raised with the Israeli authorities on a number of occasions by our Embassy in Tel Aviv. The person concerned was arrested on 23 May 2005, and on 16 June 2005 the Israeli authorities ordered his administrative detention for six months. Despite a number of appeals and reviews, the detention order has been extended continuously since then. Most recently, on 14 November, it was extended for a further four months. The Department and the Embassy in Tel Aviv are continuing to monitor the situation in cooperation with Embassies of other EU Member States and in consultation with Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups.