Brendan Smith
Question:4. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider recognising the state of Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45073/14]
View answerWednesday, 26 November 2014
Questions (4)
Oral answers (6 contributions)
I have tabled a motion in this House asking that Dáil Éireann reaffirm its support for a two state solution in the Middle East and calling on the Government on behalf of the people of Ireland to fully recognise Palestine as a sovereign state. I believe we should follow the lead of Sweden and the House of Commons in the UK and recognise the state of Palestine. The recent war in Gaza and the unwillingness of the Israeli Government to engage in meaningful and constructive negotiations with the Palestinians have resulted in a mind shift on how best to approach the conflict in the Middle East. As we know, Israel has a duty to abide by internationally accepted standards of human rights, proportionality and responsibility. Similarly, the Palestinian authorities must also act in a responsible fashion in their interactions with Israel.
Ireland has worked for many years under successive Governments to achieve a two state solution to the Middle East conflict involving the realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state. We have always looked forward, therefore, to being in a position to recognise a state of Palestine in reality and not just as a symbolic gesture.
Successive Governments and Ministers for Foreign Affairs have considered that a state of Palestine and Ireland's recognition of it should come about as part of a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. All our actions remain geared to that ultimate goal and objective.
I do not have a closed mind on this issue. Sweden's recent decision to recognise Palestine has brought the issue to the fore within the European Union. In a number of member states, including Ireland, there have been strong parliamentary expressions of support for recognition, in most cases as an element of an overall solution. The Foreign Affairs Council, which I attended in Brussels last week, began a discussion among EU partners about the question of recognition. This discussion will continue over time. Clearly, if there is no prospect of substantive peace talks resuming in the near future, we will need to take close account of this in evaluating how we can advance our overall goal.
Our position is not set in stone. Against the background of a deteriorating situation on the ground, I will continue to consider any option, including early recognition of Palestine, which may advance the prospects for peace and help ensure the two state solution still has a chance of being realised.
As Deputies will agree, the question of international recognition of Palestine, while important, is not by any means a magic wand to resolve the conflict. More than 130 countries have formally recognised Palestine but the conflict continues. Only a comprehensive peace agreement will end the occupation and allow the full establishment of a Palestinian state in reality as well as in theory. That is the consistent goal of everything the Government is doing on this important issue.
I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. Given that Ireland was the first European Union member state to declare that a solution to the conflict in the Middle East must be based on a fully sovereign state of Palestine, independent and co-existing with Israel, does the Minister agree that this is an opportune time to take a new initiative? Does he also agree that bilateral recognition would act as an impetus for the much-needed renewed peace talks to which he alluded? Does he accept that the Israeli Government must change its approach both to talks and the Palestinian people? It should be reiterated that the Palestinians deserve equality in the negotiations and that recognising the Palestinian state would go some way towards achieving such equality.
Following our discussions at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, did the Minister have an opportunity, during the recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, to point out that the European Union must take a more proactive approach to the Middle East peace negotiations? I welcome his reference to the decisions of Sweden and the British House of Commons to recognise the state of Palestine and I hope he will continue to encourage the European Union, including the High Representative for foreign affairs and the Foreign Affairs Council, to take a more proactive approach to trying to advance the Middle East peace process.
I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak in the course of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. I repeated the point I made at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade when I expressed concern at growing tension and increasing violence on the ground in the Middle East. I also noted that if the violence and the expansion of settlements by the State of Israel continue, the viability of the two state solution will be called into question. The European Union agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council last week to continue to urge all parties to refrain from any action that would worsen the situation by way of incitement, provocation, excessive use of force or retaliation. We called on political leaders from all sides to work together through visible actions to de-escalate the situation. I make special reference to the unacceptable position at the Temple Mount, one of the many holy places in the region. Recent settlement activity in east Jerusalem seriously jeopardises the possibility of Jerusalem serving as a future capital of both sides. I will continue to keep Deputies informed on this issue.
I fully concur that the international community must be concerned about the provocative nature of the expansion of settlements by the Israeli authorities. This policy makes the two state ever more difficult to achieve. I also condemn in the strongest possible manner the murder of four people in their place of prayer last week. The Palestinian community must condemn this attack in the strongest possible manner. Similarly, the Israeli Government must show restraint, as retaliation will only lead to further retaliation and create a spiral of violence.
Is progress being made on the proposal by the European Union and individual member states to ban products from settlements? The Minister's predecessor indicated that specific measures would be implemented in Ireland to ban products from settlements, and I understand specific proposals were to be implemented throughout the European Union. What is the up-to-date position regarding such sanctions?
The strongest measure against settlement products is that higher tariffs must be paid on such products when they enter the European Union, whereas goods produced in Israel enjoy reduced rates. Work on these issues is continuing, although I accept Deputy Smith's point that it is not progressing at the pace people would like. Guidelines for the labelling of settlement products were put to one side while the talks were ongoing. We have raised the issue of bringing them forward, having regard to the fact that the talks continue to stall, and we will actively pursue the issue at European Union level.
Deputy Smith asked me why Ireland does not follow Sweden's lead. I confirm that a process of reflection on this issue is under way in the European Union. Following the recent Foreign Affairs Council discussion, senior officials have been charged by the Council with preparing an information paper on the issue. Ireland will be centrally involved in this, as we are on all internal EU consideration of the Middle East peace process. This morning, The Irish Times published a joint article written by me and my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland. I am not ruling out any option, including early recognition of Palestine, that will advance the prospects for peace and ensure the viability of the two state solution. I will continue to keep the House fully informed on this issue.