Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 October 2015
314. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or his Department have had any contact with the Israeli Embassy or with the Israeli authorities regarding the current situation in occupied Palestine. [37065/15]
View answerThe clearly deteriorating security situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, in particular around East Jerusalem, is a matter of very great concern to me, as it is to the wider international community.
The visit to the region this week by the UN Secretary General underlines the depth of this concern.
While I appreciate the frustration of those who see no political end in sight, it does not justify resorting to violence. Violence will not bring a solution to the long-standing challenges facing the Israeli and Palestinian people.
The current wave of attacks and the resulting security response has created a sense of deep insecurity which is impacting on the daily lives of both Israelis and Palestinians.
I appreciate fully the concerns of Israelis about their security, and I condemn all violent attacks.
At the same time, it is clear that the current violence is a symptom of deeper issues. In the absence of a clear political process, frustration and even despair will continue to grow.
Last year’s conflict in Gaza is still fresh in all of our minds and it serves as a reminder of how situations can escalate quickly, with terrible consequences.
Local leaders, on all sides, must look beyond the immediate, and beyond a mere security response, and to address the underlying issues.
Political leadership, including from the international community, needs to address the problems of the relentless expansion of settlements and the absence of any process aiming at the end of the occupation.
Our Ambassador to Israel has spoken with senior Israeli officials on a number of occasions since the beginning of this upsurge in violence, and has directly conveyed my concerns about the situation.
