Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the issues raised by a person in a letter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5562/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is no doubt that the conflict in Gaza was appalling, both for the people of the territory and for the wider peace process. The stark facts of the conflict make grim reading: 1300 people killed, nearly 6000 wounded, and thousands of buildings destroyed. Estimates indicate that the rebuilding process could cost $2 billion and take up to five years.

From the start of the conflict in Gaza on 27 December 2008, I made clear that I regarded the Israeli offensive, or Operation Cast Lead as it was known, as completely disproportionate in its scale and ferocity and I repeatedly condemned Israeli actions. At the same time, I condemned the unjustifiable and deplorable rocket attacks on southern Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian militants.

The priority in Gaza remains the consolidation of the existing fragile ceasefire arrangements through full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1860. Beyond that, the international community must work to restore momentum and credibility to the Middle East peace process. For a renewed political process to be credible, it must not only address the core issues of the conflict but must also aim to improve the daily lives of the people most affected. For a start, the parties must be encouraged to implement their obligations under the Quartet Roadmap. This must involve an end to all violence in and from the Occupied Territories, the lifting of checkpoints, the easing of restrictions on movement for Palestinians, and the end of the confiscation of Palestinian land.

In relation to settlement construction, I have repeatedly stated that the illegal construction and expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank has a direct, negative impact on the peace process. It prejudges the outcome of final status negotiations and threatens the viability of an agreed two-State solution. If Israel is genuine about wanting peace with the Palestinians, they must take the difficult decision of implementing a complete freeze on all settlement construction in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. I have made this point directly to members of the Israeli government whom I have met, including Foreign Minister Livni last July and Education Minister Yuli Tamir whom I met in Dublin on 20 January. The EU has made the same point to the Israeli Government on many occasions, most recently in a demarche to the Israeli Foreign Ministry on 11 February 2009.

The Government has consistently been opposed to proposals for trade, diplomatic, cultural, academic, sporting or other boycotts against Israel. More than ever, we need to encourage and support Israeli and Palestinian political leaders in their efforts to negotiate a settlement based on a two-State solution. A policy of boycotts or exclusion would clearly not contribute to that process.

Regarding the question of the EU's relations with Israel, I have repeatedly stated that Ireland will continue to take a cautious approach to any further upgrading of this relationship. Indeed, at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 23 January, I made clear that what happened in Gaza means that there cannot be a "business as usual" approach to proceeding with an upgrade at this time. I have also consistently made the point that Israel's relationship with the EU must be seen in the context of developments in the peace process, particularly with progress towards a two-State solution.

As for the purchase of military products from Israel, my colleague, the Minister for Defence, has informed me that the procurement of equipment for the Defence Forces is purely on the basis of the most effective equipment available to meet the specification, competitively tendered. In recent years the Defence Forces have purchased defensive equipment, such as helmets, from Israeli companies, on the basis of effectiveness and best value.