Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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121. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline any discussions that are taking place at the United Nations Security Council regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32946/22]

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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148. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline any discussions at the United Nations Security Council regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33166/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 148 together.

The Middle East Peace Process remains a key priority for Ireland during our term on the UN Security Council. Ireland engages actively in monthly Security Council meetings on the situation in the Middle East, which focus on the Palestinian question.

On 24 June, Ireland will co-chair with Mexico, a meeting of the UN Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security. This will discuss, for the first time, the situation of women in the occupied Palestinian territory. The meeting will also examine participation of Palestinian women in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, internal reconciliation efforts and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

Following the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, Ireland organised an Arria-Formula meeting at the UN Security Council on 24 May on the protection of journalists. Ireland stressed that peace and security, freedom of expression and a free and independent press are inextricably linked, and again called for an independent investigation into Ms Abu Akleh’s killing and for the perpetrators to be held to account.

At the most recent monthly Council meeting on the Middle East on 26 May, Ireland raised the issue of illegal settlement expansion, condemning the recent decision of the Israeli authorities to advance plans for the construction of more than 4,000 housing units in the West Bank and urging Israel to reverse this decision. Ireland also expressed concern regarding developments in Masafer Yatta, urging Israel to cease evictions and demolitions, including of donor-funded structures, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

Following the Council meeting on 26 May, Ireland issued a joint media statement, along with France, Estonia and Albania, which strongly reiterated our position on these issues.

As part of our role on the UN Security Council, Ireland engages actively with regional partners in relation to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. I travelled to Jordan on 1-2 June, where I met with the Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, en marge of the EU-Jordan Association Council. I also met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, on 19 June and our discussion focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The overall human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory remains a key priority for me as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ireland will continue to take every opportunity to stress the need for respect for human rights and full accountability, in particular in our role as a member of the UN Security Council. I remain committed to working with partners to promote coherent and effective EU and UN action towards a lasting and peaceful two-State solution.