Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which directly or in conjuction with his EU colleagues, he expects to be in a position to address the ongoing problem of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories; if his attention has been drawn to further damage done to any peace prospects by the continuation of this policy; if particular issues have emerged as a means of solution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45231/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I have made clear my view that the continuing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory, and the ongoing settlement construction project, are now the major obstacles to a lasting peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours, including the Palestinians. Settlement construction is not only illegal under international law, but it inherently involves injustice to Palestinians and further erosion of their rights and freedoms. Furthermore, settlement construction undermines the ability of Palestinian leaders to pursue negotiations with Israel, and increasingly makes it difficult for such negotiations to be successful, by making the creation of a viable Palestinian state increasingly hard to achieve on the ground.

It is unambiguous EU policy that the relentless construction of settlements in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) is undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state, and is an obstacle to peace. This is a clear message that Ireland and our EU partners relay to the Israeli authorities at every appropriate opportunity.

Recognising that developments on the ground are threatening to make a two-state solution impossible, the Foreign Affairs Council in May adopted Conclusions that restated, and in many respects advanced, EU positions on issues such as the Palestinian depopulation of Area C and evictions and demolitions in East Jerusalem. Many of these issues are part and parcel of the settlement project. I have suggested that the EU will need to revisit this issue in the near future to review developments and ascertain what, if any, measures the EU could adopt that might encourage Israel to halt the expansion of settlements. The possible exclusion from the EU of settlement products is one option for consideration in that regard.

Ultimately, only the achievement of a comprehensive peace agreement will resolve the issues of the occupation and settlements, and the pursuit and support of the Middle East peace process remains a major priority of the EU and the international community, despite the many frustrations this has entailed.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he expects to be in a position to mobilise the wider global community towards bringing about ongoing peace talks in the Middle East with particular reference to the setting up of a forum in which grievances or issues arising can be aired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45233/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 46 on today’s Order paper, which was as follows: “The EU has a clear and long-standing policy that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or Israeli-Arab conflict must be a two-state solution, involving a sovereign state of Palestine co-existing peacefully with Israel. Ireland has made a strong contribution from the outset to the development of this policy. It has now become broadly accepted by almost all parties as the goal which must be achieved if this conflict is to be settled. Regrettably, progress towards this goal has been much less satisfactory.

The EU acts supportively in a number of ways. First and foremost, we seek to encourage and press both parties into engaging in serious direct negotiations, because we recognise that this is the only way to reach a comprehensive agreement and to end the occupation. Frankly, we have been very disappointed by the inability to get talks restarted. The reasons are complex but primarily there has been little real engagement by the Israeli Government in the process.

The EU is also active in relation to specific issues on the ground which we believe are having a negative effect and threaten to make a peace agreement based on a two-state solution impossible to achieve. The Foreign Affairs Council in May issued strong Conclusions, to which Ireland actively contributed, which highlighted these issues, many of which revolve round Israeli settlement building, and which called for urgent changes in policy. I am pressing for a follow-up Council discussion within the next couple of months.

Finally, on the Palestinian side the EU is the major provider of humanitarian support for refugees and technical support and capacity-building for the Palestinian administration. Ireland plays an active role in all of these strands of engagement, including through support provided by Irish Aid.”

Further to that reply, I do not think there is any lack of a forum for the parties to express their grievances, rather the opposite. I know the idea of a secretariat has been suggested occasionally in the Oireachtas, but I have to say that in my meetings with the parties both in the region and elsewhere, no-one has ever suggested this to me. There are already permanent representatives and staffs operating in the field on behalf of the EU, the US, the UN and the Quartet. The problem is not one of a lack of structures, but a lack of political will to use them.