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Human Rights Issues.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004

Wednesday, 29 September 2004

Questions (142, 143, 144)

Finian McGrath

Question:

324 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has responded to Amnesty International’s call of 16 June 2004 to investigate the probable links of a company (details supplied) to the construction of Israel’s separation wall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21238/04]

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Written answers

I have responded to the letter from Amnesty International to which the Deputy refers, and officials from my Department have also met Amnesty International to discuss the issue. The company in question has a subsidiary which owns a minority shareholding of about one quarter in the main Israeli cement producer, Nesher. My understanding is that this shareholding does not give the Irish company in question management control over operational matters in respect of Nesher. I also understand that, as Nesher supplies cement to all concrete manufacturers in Israel, it has no say in the final use of those concrete products and has no direct involvement in the construction of the separation barrier.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

325 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised the issue of collective punishment against families and neighbours of wanted Palestinians with the Israeli authorities, in particular the controlled explosion of a number of flats in Bethlehem’s Makhlouf apartment building in which a person (details supplied) who has been detained in Israeli jails is resident, in the early morning of 25 June 2004. [21263/04]

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The Government's and the European Union's concern at many of the operations conducted by the Israeli Defence Forces in the Occupied Territories has been brought to the attention of the Israeli authorities on many occasions. The incident to which the Deputy refers, which is one of many such incidents, has not been specifically raised with the Israeli authorities, but they are well aware of the position of the EU and the wider international community, in particular as set out in the Quartet statement of 4 May which emphasised that the Israeli Government should refrain from attacks on civilians and demolition of Palestinian homes and property, as a punitive measure or to facilitate Israeli construction.

Finian McGrath

Question:

326 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will urgently intervene with the state of Israel and demand that a person (details supplied), be allowed to leave that country immediately. [21354/04]

View answer

I share the Deputy's wish that the person concerned be given freedom to travel to and from Israel. However, the restrictions applying to the person in question have been the subject of judicial review by the Israeli Supreme Court. I do not think that there is any likelihood that the Israeli Government will overturn the court's decision. The Government will continue to monitor the situation, and should it develop in such a way that it appears that an intervention would be of use in this case, the possibility of making such an intervention will be considered.

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