The Government are deeply concerned at events in the Occupied Territories and, together with our partners in the Twelve, continue to monitor closely developments there.
I am aware of the report to which the Deputy has referred and, at Ireland's suggestion, the Twelve made a demarche on 14 January to Israel in which:
(i) We expressed our concern
—at the unjustified use of generalised violence against hundreds of people during authorised and peaceful demonstrations in Jerusalem on 29-30 December 1989; and
—that the current guidelines appear to permit use of firearms in situations that are not life threatening;
(ii) We appealed to Israel
—to allow peaceful demonstrations to proceed freely;
—to cease using excessive force to put down demonstrations and other manifestations of the uprising;
—to ensure that law-enforcement officials do not exceed their powers;
—to review urgently the guidelines on opening fire; and
—to implement Security Council Resolutions Nos. 605 (1987), 607 (1988), 608 (1988) and 636 (1989).
(iii) We emphasised
—the importance for Twelve relations with Israel of full respect of the human rights of the Palestinians of the Occupied Territories;
(iv) We reiterated
—that the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of the Civilian Population in Time of War are applicable to the Occupied Territories.
(v) We recalled
—the need to open dialogue in order to reach a peace settlement which alone can ensure the rights and legitimate aspiration of each of the parties;
—that measures recently taken against leading Palestinians in the Occupied Territories are not conducive to the climate of confidence necessary for any negotiation.
At a joint meeting between members of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and the European Parliament, I took the opportunity to re-emphasise these points, in particular the importance for the full spectrum of the Twelve's relations with Israel of all matters affecting the human rights of the Palestinians of the Occupied Territories.
Bilaterally, our Ambassador in Athens, who is accredited to Israel, in the course of an official visit there from 22 January to 1 February conveyed to the Israeli authorities Ireland's deep concern at the current position in the Occupied Territories.
I cannot overestimate the need to open dialogue in order to reach a peace settlement which alone can ensure the rights and legitimate aspirations of each of the parties. It is my firm conviction that the measures currently being applied by Israel in the Occupied Territories are not conducive to the climate of confidence necessary for any negotiation.
