Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on recent announcements by the President of the Palestinian authority that he does not plan to contest the next presidential elections scheduled for January 2010. [41945/09]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his policy on the Israel and Palestine conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41861/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his proposals unilaterally or through the EU or UN to promote the peace process in the Middle East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42345/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 118 and 227 together.

Successive Irish Governments over many years have afforded a high priority to efforts to resolve the long-running Middle East conflict, and that continues to be the case. We will support any efforts by Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders to negotiate an agreed solution to their mutual differences, and seek to mobilise and encourage international opinion in support of these efforts. While we do not prescribe an outcome, there has been broad consensus for a number of years that the only model which can satisfy the aspirations and need for security of both Israelis and Palestinians is that of two fully sovereign states established side by side in peace and security. As Minister for Foreign Affairs I will continue to work to achieve this goal through national action, at EU and United Nations level, and in other international fora.

The inauguration of President Obama this year has begun a new and more hopeful phase in the search for peace, in which the United States has once again committed itself to an active engagement with the parties to try and bring them to final status negotiations. We have noted with approval that two old friends of Ireland, Secretary of State Clinton and Special Envoy Mitchell, have been to the fore in this effort. The EU has endeavoured to support and encourage this effort, and is giving longer term thought to what more it can do.

There is no doubt that frustration has been growing at the continuing delay in moving to the stage of negotiations, as efforts continue to persuade the Israeli Government to suspend the construction of illegal settlements on Palestinian land. I regard it as a significant blow that President Abbas has apparently lost faith that the process is developing in a way which can deliver an outcome, and has decided not to stand for re-election next year. It is clear that he is sincere in this intention and that, if carried through, it would be a very negative development.

The Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections are not now likely before next summer, so President Abbas will remain in office for the time being. I hope it will be possible to persuade him to reconsider his announced intention to resign. But this will require both the Israeli Government and the international community to grasp and act on the clear lesson that moderate Palestinian leaders must be able to show their people that the political process can yield results, and has a prospect of ending their intolerable position.