Alan Shatter
Question:45 Deputy Alan Shatter asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his proposed visit to Israel has been cancelled or postponed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46838/09]
View answerTuesday, 15 December 2009
Questions (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
Brian O'Shea
Question:61 Deputy Brian O’Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent trip to Israel during which time he was refused access to Gaza; his views on whether the ongoing blockade of Gaza is unjustified and in breach of international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46869/09]
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Bernard J. Durkan
Question:69 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he, the European Union or the United Nations has been in a position to influence developments in the Middle East regarding the need to work towards a peaceful solution in Gaza; if progress has been made towards the rebuilding of structures demolished in the past; the extent to which a permanent administrative structure which might facilitate ongoing peace talks and resolution of grievances as they arise has been put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46827/09]
View answerBrian O'Shea
Question:70 Deputy Brian O’Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the ongoing conflict in Gaza has served to exacerbate many of the pre-existing problems in the region including in the environmental sphere and related issues of sewage treatment and availability of drinking water; if these ongoing problems have been discussed recently at European Union level; if progress is being made on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46870/09]
View answerBernard J. Durkan
Question:257 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he directly or through the UN or EU has engaged with the Israeli or Palestinian authorities with a view to encouraging an ongoing peace process in the Middle East; if he will report progress with particular reference to the need to establish the necessary administrative structures for continuous peace negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47132/09]
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Michael D. Higgins
Question:272 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views, following one of the conclusions of the Goldstone report, on whether there is an immediate and urgent environmental threat to the citizens of Gaza and their Israeli neighbours from the contamination of water, pollution, and release of raw sewage into the adjoining sea; the action that the European Union and he will take to address this issue. [47179/09]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 61, 69, 70, 257 and 272 together.
In relation to my intended visit to Gaza, I refer Deputies to my reply to Priority Question 31 earlier today. The reasons why this visit could not go ahead is that I was refused access to Gaza, a key component of the visit. I fully intend to renew in due course my request to visit Gaza. The effect of the Israeli authorities' decision has been to postpone a visit which remains a very important priority for me.
The blockade of Gaza is unacceptable in itself but also politically counter-productive. It strengthens the position of Hamas and other militant groups, and enriches them through their control of smuggling. It does not prevent these groups from bringing in building supplies and other materials through the tunnel systems, but it prevents ordinary citizens from rebuilding their homes and businesses. Virtually no reconstruction has been possible since the conflict at the start of the year, and families are heading into winter having been unable to rebuild their homes, or even replace windows and doors. I have also spoken before in the House of the urgent environmental problems of sewage and drinking water, which are threatening a major public health crisis, and which cannot be tackled without building materials.
It is in these senses that I have described the blockade of Gaza as the collective punishment of a population of one and a half million for the unacceptable actions of a small minority in their midst in launching attacks into Israel. It is also difficult to understand why, in periods such as now when the level of such attacks has been greatly reduced or minimised, the blockade continues unchanged. I have discussed these issues regularly with my EU colleagues. The Foreign Affairs Council last week adopted detailed Conclusions on the Middle East, including clear language on Gaza and the need for an immediate and unconditional opening of the crossing points. A lasting settlement in the Middle East will not be achieved if it does not resolve the problems of Gaza. Conversely, a full resolution of the problems of both Gaza and the West Bank will only come with an agreed settlement and an end to the occupation. We must pursue and support both objectives. The Council Conclusions last week set out in detail the EU's position on these complex issues.
The idea of a permanent administrative structure or secretariat to support peace talks has been put forward before in the House. It is unlikely that any such structure would be desired or agreed between the two parties themselves. It might be that such a structure could in due course be thought useful to support the work of the Quartet, which we would indeed wish to see play a stronger role. However, I would observe that there are already special representatives or envoys of the EU, the UN, the Quartet and the USA in the field, each with supporting staff. The problem is not lack of structures but of political will, both locally and internationally, to really press through to a solution.