Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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27. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of a new UNICEF report that confirms that 25 Palestinian children were killed in the past three months of 2015, and that the number detained was the highest in seven years; that the report also states that more than 1,300 Palestinian children were injured during this period, almost all in the West Bank and east Jerusalem; the strategy he believes is behind this increase in attacks; and the action his Department is taking in the face of such brutal attacks against children. [11954/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The UNICEF report for the fourth quarter of 2015 confirms the tragic picture of which we were already aware, and which was the subject of much discussion in this House and elsewhere at the time. The deaths and other casualties detailed in the report relate largely to the outbreak of a wave of violent incidents from October last year, first in Jerusalem and then spreading to other cities. I do not think it is accurate to talk of strategy involved. What seemed clear at the time was that the attackers were acting as individuals.

The report reminds us of the tragic cost of these events for both Palestinians and Israelis. Israelis killed in the attacks included a number of civilians attacked at random in the street, and a shocking number of the Palestinian attackers were teenagers. Both Palestinian and Israeli families were devastated by these events, and an atmosphere of fear and suspicion created, which led in some cases to persons being shot when mistaken for attackers.

Along with other leaders at the time, I called for an end to violent attacks but also for any security forces response to be restrained and measured, and for all sides to avoid any provocative actions which could further inflame the situation.

These concerns were expressed at EU level in the Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 January, to which Ireland contributed. These stated:

“The Council is deeply concerned that the continuing cycle of violence has led to serious loss of life in Israel and the Palestinian territory in recent months. The EU firmly condemns the terror attacks and violence from all sides and in any circumstances, including the death of children. The EU calls on political leaders to work together through visible actions to contribute to calm and address the underlying causes of the tensions.”

Thankfully, it appears that this cycle of violence has abated for the moment. But it remains imperative that the underlying tensions which have led so many individuals to take such despairing actions must be addressed and alleviated.