Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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394. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which efforts continue to be made to bring about peaceful settlement in the Middle East with particular reference to the need for ongoing peace talks as a platform to deal with ongoing grievances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19093/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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396. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which efforts continue to be made to bring about peaceful and equitable resolution in Gaza at EU and UN level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19095/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 396 together.

I have given a high priority to the Middle East Peace Process since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2017, and I will continue to do so as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence. I have personally been very engaged in efforts to keep the Israeli-Palestinian conflict high on the international agenda, including the situation in the Gaza Strip, and I have made four working visits to Israel and Palestine, most recently in December 2019. 

Ireland remains ready to support any peace initiative that respects the international parameters for a two-state solution and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and provides a basis to meet the aspirations of both peoples. 

The Middle East Peace Process is regularly discussed in meetings of EU Foreign Ministers, and was addressed in a Ministerial videoconference meeting on 15 May. In advance of that meeting, I and senior officials in my Department discussed the issue with a large number of EU Member States to encourage a clear and united position, particularly on the matter of annexation. At the meeting there was broad agreement that the EU and its Member States should convey our concerns directly to the new Israeli Government. That outreach is ongoing. I welcome the very clear statements by EU High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell who has stated that annexation could not pass unchallenged and would inevitably have significant negative consequences for the EU-Israel relationship.

I myself have also raised these concerns with the current Israeli Government in recent days. My officials continue to convey our views to the Israeli authorities. I have also outlined my serious concerns about possible annexation in discussions with US representatives.

Ireland has long worked to keep attention on Gaza. In my most recent visit to Gaza in December 2019, I saw for myself the impact of the blockade. Ireland contributes humanitarian assistance to alleviate the worst of this suffering, including through our support for UNRWA, which is a key provider of public services, health and education in Gaza. I have initiated an Irish-funded solar power project in Gaza, which will help improve water quality in the area. More recently, my Department allocated additional funding to support the medical response to COVID 19 in the Gaza Strip.

However, the roots of the problem in Gaza are political and cannot be solved by funding alone. What is needed is the lifting of the blockade, so that normal life and normal economic activity can resume. Gaza faces other challenges, including oppressive rule by Hamas, but the blockade dominates peoples’ lives in Gaza to such an extent that it is difficult to address other issues. I have raised the issue of the blockade with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

I will continue to work to keep this issue high on the international agenda and to prioritise the Middle East Peace Process, amongst other issues, as we prepare to take up our seat on the UN Security Council in January 2021.