Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position of the EU towards the recent conflict in Gaza; the role the EU will play in brokering long-term peace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2020/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to veto proposed upgrades in EU relations with Israel. [1882/09]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he has had with the Palestinian head of mission since 1 January 2009. [1862/09]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the Euro-Med Agreement and in particular such information as has been made available to him in relation to its human rights conditions; if a previously mooted deepening of this agreement is being postponed or cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1951/09]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the letters which were sent to the Israeli Government by Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Brown following the Gaza crisis; and his further views on these letters being sent and on whether it would have been preferable for there to have been a common EU position sent on this issue. [1960/09]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he has had with the Israeli ambassador since 1 January 2009. [1860/09]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his response to the recent statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that war crimes have been committed in Gaza and Israel in recent weeks. [1922/09]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has expressed support for the United Nations request for an independent investigation into the killing of a driver of a truck which was part of a UN humanitarian convoy to the residents of Gaza. [1953/09]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views, in view of the recent statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as to breaches of human rights by Israel and Hamas, on the suspension of the EU-Israel agreement and the delivery of humanitarian assistance through UNWRA directly to the citizens of Gaza until Hamas agrees to end rocket launches against civilian settlements. [1936/09]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs he will request that the Euro-Med Agreement, under which Israel has privileged access to the EU market, be suspended until Israel complies with international law in view of Israel's recent bombardment of Gaza and the killing of more than 1,000 Palestinians, a third of them children. [1881/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will enter discussions with the Department of Defence in order to cease the purchase of Israeli military products and services; and if he will call publicly for an arms embargo against Israel. [1880/09]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on calls for an independent international investigation of the death of civilians, including children, who had sought refuge in United Nations facilities, who had been assured of safety but who were killed as a result of a military attack by Israeli forces. [1932/09]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the circumstances which led to the failure to achieve a unanimous vote on the resolution at the UN Security Council of 7 January 2009 calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the interest of avoiding the further loss of civilian life in Gaza. [1934/09]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 748: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will stop the deepening of closer EU-Israel relations and insist that the EU Council of Ministers suspend the EU trade agreement with Israel under clause 2 of the association agreement until such time as Israel abides by international law; if he will condemn the Israeli massacres in Gaza and call for an immediate end to the bombardment; if he will demand that the UN ensure the opening of the borders to Gaza to enable emergency humanitarian aid to get into the area; and if he will proactively seek a solution in Palestine which respects the rights of Israelis and Palestinians and secures for Palestinians their national and democratic rights. [1757/09]

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 754: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent contacts in respect of the events in Gaza; his views on the widespread upset at the loss of innocent lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2177/09]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 757: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government supports calls by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, for an international investigation into Israel's shelling of UN buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2321/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 110, 113, 115 to 119, inclusive, 128, 129, 146, 151, 152, 159, 748, 754 and 757 together.

I refer Deputies to my earlier reply to Priority Question numbers 100 and 102. Ireland and its EU partners have worked closely with others in the international community to promote a peaceful resolution of the Gaza crisis. The parameters for such a peaceful resolution were clearly set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1860 adopted on 8 January whose four operative elements called for: a halt in rockets launched into Israel; an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza; a reopening of the crossings into Gaza; and development of a mechanism to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza. The resolution was adopted with the support of fourteen members of the Security Council. The United States explained that it abstained because, although it did not disagree with the substance of the text, it had first wished to await the outcome of the Egyptian peace efforts.

The EU was not slow to respond to the crisis in Gaza. As well as visits to the region, there were the extraordinary meeting of Foreign Ministers in Paris on 30 December which I attended, along with yesterday's substantive discussion at the General Affairs and External Relations Council. There have also been meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. For my part, I and my officials maintained close contact with the Israeli and Egyptian Embassies and the General Delegation of Palestine throughout the recent crisis. I met with the Israeli Ambassador, the Delegate General of Palestine, and with the visiting Israeli Minister of Education to convey our concerns and hear their viewpoints.

While there was an initial increase in the flow of humanitarian aid passing into Gaza after the unilateral Israeli ceasefire of 18 January, it is clear, and there was consensus on this issue at yesterday's Council meeting, that the volume of such aid remains inadequate and it is imperative that Israel do everything possible to facilitate the relief and rehabilitation operation being undertaken by UN organisations and international and local aid agencies. Looking further ahead, Israel must move to end its economic blockade and reopen permanently these crossings into Gaza. The EU stands ready to reactivate its border monitoring mission at the Rafah crossing point and has discussed extending this mission to facilitate the reopening of Gaza. More broadly, as the largest trading partner of Israel, and the largest aid donor to the Palestinian people, the EU must exercise its influence and assume a more prominent role in Middle East peace efforts.

It is also clear that concerted international efforts will be required to end the smuggling of arms and components of arms into Gaza. I am aware of offers of assistance by certain EU partners — including France, Germany and Britain — made in this regard to Egypt and Israel, while the US and Israel have also concluded a bilateral memorandum of understanding on this issue. Any assistance that can be offered by the EU or by individual member states in combating the smuggling of arms into Gaza, and thus reducing the capacity of Hamas and other Palestinian factions to fire rockets into southern Israel, is to be strongly encouraged. It remains evident that any successful efforts to combat smuggling and to close tunnels into southern Gaza will ultimately depend and be facilitated by the permanent opening of border crossings.

Understandable anger and frustration with Israel's disproportionate military action in Gaza has led to calls for the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement (or Association Agreement) of 2000 between the EU and Israel to be suspended. I have stated to EU colleagues, in a letter addressed to Czech Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg as current President of the Council, that what happened in Gaza means that it cannot be a "business as usual" approach with regard to proceeding with an upgrade of EU relations with Israel at this time. At the same time, the Government has consistently been opposed to proposals for trade, diplomatic, cultural, academic, sporting or other boycotts of Israel. Calls for an EU trade boycott, the suspension of the existing Association Agreement or imposition of an arms embargo are not practicable as they would not have any prospect of attracting the necessary consensus amongst member states. As for discontinuing the purchase of Israeli hardware or services for our Defence Forces, this is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Defence. I understand that effectiveness and value for money are key factors in deciding on tendering for equipment.

At this moment, with the momentum for peace that may be generated by the new American administration, we need to encourage and support Israeli and Palestinian political leaders to take the hard decisions necessary in the negotiation of a settlement based on a two-State solution.