Middle East Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 October 2014

Tuesday, 7 October 2014

Questions (418)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

418. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had discussions with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities here and at UN level about the land grab taking place in the West Bank in the form of Israeli settlements being continually built in violation of the UN green line of 1948, a land grab which is causing restrictions on travel for Palestinians as well as huge disruption to daily life, such as agricultural land being cut off from town lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37804/14]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

In recent years Ireland has increasingly worked to focus attention on the issue of Israeli settlements. The Government has consistently stressed, in public statements and in discussions at EU level and elsewhere, that settlements and the relentless programme of settlement expansion are major drivers of the continuing conflict, and deeply damaging to the prospects of achieving peace.

On 1 September I issued a statement condemning the appropriation by Israel of a large bloc of Palestinian land for the purpose of settlement construction, and I have also condemned the approval last week of a new parcel of settlement construction in a highly sensitive area between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

These concerns form a continuous and critical element of exchanges with the Israeli authorities, at both political and diplomatic level. I specifically wrote to the Israeli Ambassador on 1 September, asking him to relay those concerns to the Israeli Government.

I also discussed the issue with my Palestinian counterpart at a bilateral meeting in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York last week.

I will continue to focus on this critical issue.