Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 January 2017
56. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent attendance at the international Middle East peace conference; his views on the position being taken by President Trump in relation to the rights of the Palestinian people and in particular his intention to move the embassy of the United States to Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3055/17]
View answerI attended the Conference on the Middle East Peace Process in Paris on 15 January, which was hosted by President Hollande. Some 70 countries and international organisations participated in the meeting, which was a follow up to the first conference held in Paris in June 2016, which I also attended. This “French Initiative” was aimed at reviving a stalled peace process, and reaffirming international support for the two state solution to the conflict between Israel and its Arab and Palestinian neighbours. Contrary to intentions, the meeting did not include the parties themselves, as Israel refused to attend or to engage in any way with the French initiative. This was regrettable and mistaken.
The conference adopted a Declaration which clearly expressed the view of the broad international community that the two state solution was the only way forward. This followed on and reinforced the similar message in Security Council Resolution 2334, adopted in December, which I welcomed at the time.
However, there was also great concern among all participants about threats to the viability of that solution, stemming principally from the settlement policy of the Israeli Government. The Middle East Peace Process has been effectively stalled for three years, and there is no clear view on how to renew it. Uncertainty about the direction which the new US Administration will take was, of course, one factor in that regard.
The Paris Conference, and the initiative taken by France during 2016, can be said therefore to have been partially successful, particularly in maintaining an international focus on the issue at a time when other events in the Middle East have been dominating attention. France is to be commended for initiating and persevering with this challenging work, despite the many and clearly anticipated difficulties inherent to it. The wider ambition, of helping to restart the peace process, remains to be achieved, and is a task for the whole international community. Ireland will continue to argue for the European Union to play its full part in that.
It is too soon to tell what positions the new US Administration will take in relation to Israeli-Palestinian issues. I have addressed the specific issue of the location of the US Embassy in reply to an earlier Question today (No. 53).
