Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2012
163. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views regarding the purchase of goods by EU countries from Israeli-occupied areas of the West Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47827/12]
View answer181. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of a recent report Trading Away Peace, published by a consortium of 22 organisations across Europe, which shows that despite viewing Israeli settlements as illegal the EU imports goods and services with an estimated value of €230 million from the Israeli settlements compared to €15 million from Palestinian territories, if he will provide an estimated figure for the value of trade between Ireland and Israeli settlements in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48672/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 181 together.
I have stated on many occasions my view that it would be entirely consistent with EU policies and values for the products of illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to be excluded from the EU altogether, and that Ireland would support such a proposal at EU level. However, there is no prospect at present of achieving consensus on such a ban.
I have written to the Deputy, and to all Deputies, this week to set out in greater detail the Government’s position on issues related to settlement products.
The report ‘Trading Away Peace’ is an important and powerful synopsis of issues surrounding the illegal settlements, which are an increasingly destructive element both in the lives of Palestinians and in relation to the very concept of a peace agreement in the Middle East. Settlements are thus a real threat to the interests and future of both Palestinians and Israelis. While I would not necessarily accept all of the views in the report, I agree -- and have been saying for some time -- that the international community, and the EU specifically, need to become more active about these issues and, where necessary, to follow up statements with actions.
It is impossible to estimate with any degree of certainty the value of settlement goods imported into Ireland. Total imports to Ireland from Israel last year were €177 million. The EU Commission has estimated very roughly that settlement products might amount to somewhat under 1% of imports from Israel. This would suggest that settlement goods imported into Ireland might amount to roughly €1.7 million (though this is a very imprecise estimate). The percentages estimated in the above-mentioned report might suggest a somewhat higher figure, although the total would still be quite small.
