Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
127. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his response to the Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict; if he has met with the Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors regarding the findings of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28341/15]
View answerThe Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry (established by the UN Human Rights Council) into last summer's violence in Gaza and Israel was released on 22nd June.
The Report is a serious and considered piece of work. While the members of the Commission had to deal with a lack of co-operation from various sources and lack of access to Gaza, they made a clear effort to ensure balance, on the basis of publicly available information in addition to information from witnesses.
Ireland's initial response to the draft report was in the formal dialogue with the Commission in Geneva on 29 June. Ireland's Ambassador commended the Commission on their work and stated that “the report asks serious questions of all the parties to the conflict”. The Ambassador also stated that “It is particularly important that the report addresses not just the conduct of individuals, but the policies they were instructed to carry out, and the lack of real and credible accountability among all concerned”.
Subsequent to that dialogue, the Palestinian delegation tabled a draft resolution which they wished to see adopted by the Human Rights Council. As is normal in the context of the Human Rights Council, there were negotiations on the text tabled by the Palestinians, including on the part of the European Union.
On 3 July, the draft resolution tabled by the Palestinians was adopted by the Human Rights Council. Ireland and the other EU Member States who are members of the Human Rights Council voted in favour of it.
Ireland voted for it as we saw it as a well balanced text.
I stayed in close touch with developments in Geneva as the discussions around the Report of the Commission of Inquiry progressed.
