Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the World Bank report on the Palestinian economy, which states that Israel's system of checkpoints and restrictions in the occupied West Bank has inflicted long-term damage on Palestinians' ability to compete in the global market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15533/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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While much attention has focussed on the difficulties produced at an individual level by the network of controls and movement restrictions which Israel imposes on Palestinians, these measures have cumulatively also had a disastrous effect on the Palestinian economy. The economy of the West Bank effectively collapsed under the impact of these controls over ten years ago; and the degree of growth seen in recent years represents only a very partial recovery of some of that lost ground. The daily movement of Palestinian workers into Israel was severely reduced. Exports of goods are subject to unpredictable and often lengthy delays, which are fatal for the fresh produce which constitutes most of the exports of the West Bank and which make it impossible to build up relations with importers elsewhere. While some of these measures may originally have had a security rationale, their continued imposition now would appear to be primarily related to the security not of Israel but of the Israeli settlements planted in the West Bank. The continuing restrictions on exports seem designed principally to prevent competition with Israeli producers.

It is fair to note that there has been some improvement in recent years. There has been a significant reduction in the number of Israeli checkpoints internal to the West Bank and a small increase in the number of permits to work in Israel, although the conditions imposed on these workers are very difficult. These partial relaxations have been far too little, however, to allow normal economic activity to resume.

The World Bank report is only the latest document to draw attention to these problems and their consequences in terms of a continuing high level of unemployment and dependence on outside aid. These are clearly ideal conditions in which militant groups can increase their support.

Along with its EU partners and others, Ireland has pressed Israel to allow Palestinians free movement in their own territory and normal economic relations with Israel and the outside world. The Office of the Quartet Representative has engaged with Israel bilaterally on these lines for some years. The results, I have to say, have been disappointing; Israeli officials and leaders seem to agree in principle but proposals to relax controls and stimulate growth are not given practical effect.

Ireland will continue to seek to focus international attention on this critical aspect of the conflict in the Middle East.