Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As stated previously, in this House and elsewhere, the Government is committed to recognising the State of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement of the conflict. In all of my meetings during my recent visit to Israel and Palestine – with Israelis, Palestinians, and UN partners – I conveyed the importance the Irish people attach to the resolution of the Middle East Peace Process. Ireland, along with our EU partners, supports the achievement of a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation that began in 1967, and resolves all permanent status issues in order to end the conflict.Ireland has long looked forward to being able to recognise a sovereign Palestinian state existing in fact and not just in theory. Ireland normally recognises states that actually exist and control their territory, and so successive Irish Governments have seen recognition of Palestine coming as part of an overall peace agreement. There are many varied factors bearing on the question of recognition. They include the likely impact of such a move on the peace process, the possible value of recognition as a symbolic gesture, the likely impact on other initiatives and perception by other actors, and the likely effect on Ireland’s ongoing influence on the issue. In addition, should I decide to recommend early recognition to the Government, then as an essentially symbolic action the timing of such a move would also be a matter of careful judgment.

I have not yet concluded that immediate recognition by Ireland would be a helpful step, but I keep this matter under continuous review, in the light of the views expressed by the Dáil and the Seanad in 2014.