Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 3

Written Answers. - Middle East Peace Process.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Government is gravely concerned at the crisis in the Middle East which has already taken an appalling toll of life and put in jeopardy the Middle East peace process in which so many hopes have been placed. I have extended our deepest sympathy to the families of all those who have been killed and to those who were injured. I also made statements on 2 and 12 October and a full statement to the Dáil on 19 October concerning the current crisis.

The Government has made clear its position to both sides, both at ministerial and official level. We deplore all acts of violence and have called on both sides to exercise the utmost restraint and to do all in their power to avoid further escalation. In particular, we have called on Israel to end the use of military force in dealing with Palestinian protests where civilian policing methods would be more appropriate. I have assured both sides of our support for the Sharm-el-Sheikh agreement and all efforts to restore calm and to find a peaceful solution. I have underlined the need for both sides to act quickly to reach agreement in the peace process and to avert the danger that this conflict might extend further. The first priority, as agreed at Sharm-el-Sheikh, must be to end the violence. The objective must remain the achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, which must necessarily recognise both the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and Israel's right to live in peace and security.

I met last month with Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior, a special emissary of Prime Minister Barak, and stressed the need for maximum restraint and encouraged him to join with the Palestinians in rebuilding trust and confidence, mutual respect, parity of esteem and a spirit of partnership. I also reminded him of the very concrete contribution we have made to peace in the region through our participation in UN peace keeping in Lebanon where the safety of our troops is of paramount concern.

I also took the opportunity at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Marseilles last week to express the Government's concerns, speaking with both the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr Shlomo Ben-Ami, and the Palestinian Minister for International Cooperation, Dr Nabil Sha'ath.

Ireland has fully supported the European Union in its ongoing efforts to diffuse the crisis and in its active encouragement of Israeli and Palestinian leaders to come together and work for a ceasefire. The General Affairs Council in Brussels yesterday called again on both sides to fully implement the points agreed at Sharm-el-Sheikh and in subsequent meetings. In particular, it called on Israel to withdraw its forces from Palestinian territories to the positions they occupied before the current crisis and to end the use of military force. It also called for an end to the economic sanctions and the restriction of movement on Palestinian territories. At the same time, the EU called on the Palestinian Authority to do all it can to end the violence. The EU made clear its willingness to assist in efforts to end the current violence and allow a return to the peace process.

If a cessation of violence is to take hold and remain in place, it will be essential to move quickly to rebuild trust and confidence. This will not be an easy task but it is a vital one. We, with our EU partners, have supported the commission of inquiry agreed at Sharm-el-Sheikh, on which EU High Representative Javier Solana will represent the European Union, and would hope to see the commission on the ground and active as soon as possible. It is important that the investigation into what has happened must be as open, thorough and transparent as possible.