As the Minister of State has been delayed in traffic, we will proceed with the motion tabled by Deputies Mulcahy, Pat Carey, Andrews and Haughey and Senator Ormonde.
Middle East Peace Process: Motion.
I move:
That this committee commends the Government for its balanced policy towards Israel and Palestine and requests that it use its position at the heart of the European Union to ensure that this problem remains a priority area for the EU; welcomes the stated intention of the Israeli Government to withdraw from the Gaza Strip as part of its implementation of the road-map process; notes with concern the escalation of violent acts emanating from both sides to the conflict, which said acts serve only to impede and frustrate peace efforts; welcomes the clear decision of the International Court of Justice on the illegality of the wall separating and encircling the Palestinian population of the West Bank and the subsequent United Nations General Assembly resolution to the same effect which was backed unanimously by all 25 European Union member states, but notes with regret that construction of the wall has continued; notes that the Euro-Mediterranean association agreement between the European Communities and Israel includes in Article 2 a provision stating that the agreement is based on respect for human rights and democratic principles and considers that this clause is an important demonstration of the weight the European Union attaches to the respect of human rights and provides a mechanism to bring the EU's influence to bear in cases of non-respect of human rights; notes with regret that severe human rights violations continue to be committed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by the military forces of one of the parties to the agreement and that the European Union has repeatedly called for an end to these violations and has addressed the issue in meetings of the Euro-Mediterranean Council; notes with regret that despite the positions taken and statements issued to date by the European Union these human rights violations have continued and that a number of human rights associations have called for the use of Article 2 of the association agreement as a mechanism to bring about the end of these violations; and considers that the European Union has a moral obligation to use all diplomatic means at its disposal to bring to an end these violations and to promote a peaceful and negotiated settlement.
An amendment in Deputy Ó Snodaigh's name has been circulated. While it was not received in time prior to the bank holiday weekend, I am disposed to permitting it to be moved. It reads:
To delete the words after "to ensure that this problem remains a priority area for the EU" and to substitute the following:
deplores all human rights violations and other violations of international law perpetrated during the course of this conflict and calls for their end; considers that the European Union has a moral obligation to use all diplomatic means at its disposal to bring to an end these violations and promote a peaceful and negotiated settlement; notes with regret that grave and systematic human rights violations by the Israeli defence forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip continue despite repeated calls on the Government of Israel by the European Union to end these violations; notes the raising of this issue in meetings of the Euro-Mediterranean Council; welcomes the clear decision of the International Court of Justice on the illegality of the wall separating and encircling the Palestinian population of the West Bank and the subsequent United Nations General Assembly resolution to the same effect which was backed unanimously by all 25 EU member states; notes with regret that construction of the wall has continued regardless; notes that the Euro-Mediterranean association agreement between the European Communities and Israel includes in Article 2 a provision stating the agreement is based on respect for human rights and democratic principles thus providing a mechanism to bring the EU's influence to bear in cases of non-respect for human rights; notes that a number of human rights associations and parliamentarians in Ireland and throughout the EU have called for the use of Article 2 of the association agreement as a mechanism to bring about an end to these violations of human rights and international law by Israel; considers that the value of the inclusion of a human rights clause in the European Union's association agreements with third countries will be brought into disrepute if no action is taken on foot thereof given the lack of progress in addressing Israel's human rights violations through other mechanisms; therefore requests that the Government ensures the Minister and relevant Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs propose to the General Affairs and External Relations Council the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement under Articles 2 and 79 until such time as there has been a significant and measurable improvement in compliance with international human rights standards and, specifically, until there is compliance with the International Court of Justice ruling and the UN resolution on the separation wall; considers that for these same reasons the deepening of relations with Israel under the European neighbourhood policy by the extension of an everything-but-institutions agreement with Israel sends the wrong signal and is therefore inappropriate at this time; and therefore requests that the Government ensures the Minister and relevant Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs do not agree to the extension of an everything-but-institutions agreement with Israel until such time as human rights violations by Israel have effectively ceased and there is full compliance with the International Court of Justice ruling and the relevant UN resolutions.
I will briefly suspend the meeting as the Minister of State has arrived to make his presentation.
Debate adjourned.
Sitting suspended at 2.14 p.m. and resumed at 2.15 p.m.