Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2004
109 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the representations made by the Government to the Israeli authorities with respect to the hunger strike of the Palestinian political prisoners. [23171/04]
View answerThe hunger strike to which the Deputy refers began on 10 August and came to an end on 2 September. No representations were made by the Government to the Israeli authorities during the course of the hunger strike. The Israeli authorities took a very public stance that they would not make concessions to the hunger strikers in any circumstances. The hunger strike ended before there was any loss of life or serious health risk to the hunger strikers. My understanding is that, despite the Israeli Government's statement that it would not make concessions, it will nonetheless be reviewing the conditions of detention in its prisons with a view to determining whether all existing practices are necessary for security.
