Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019
100. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether a stronger stand should be taken on supporting persons who have been displaced and robbed of their property and possessions in Palestine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2349/19]
View answerIreland and our EU partners have consistently made clear our view that the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in Palestinian Territory is illegal under international law, and undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for achieving a durable peace. The activities to which the Deputy has referred, including forced transfers, evictions and demolitions, are an inherent element of the settlement project, intended to clear Palestinians off the land in favour of Israeli settlers. These actions are also illegal, deeply unjust, and provocative.
With the political process as such essentially frozen, Ireland has for some years focussed its efforts on the Middle East issues, both in the region and at international level, on trying to combat or mitigate these destructive and inhumane policies. We have discussed these aspects here in the Oireachtas on many occasions.
Locally, in the region, Ireland regularly conveys our views on these actions to the Israeli authorities, both directly and through the EU. I have done so myself on my visits to the area. During my visit in July 2017 Ireland joined a number of other international partners in the West Bank Protection Consortium, a grouping where we seek to work together to protect Palestinian communities. Irish and other EU representatives have visited threatened communities and attended legal hearings related to their cases. Ireland also funds Israeli and Palestinian NGOs engaged in defending these communities.
At EU level, the European Union has taken a number of actions relating to settlements. These include the levying of higher tariffs on goods from settlements compared with goods from within Israel's recognised borders, prohibiting the use of EU research funding in institutions located in settlements, and rules to prevent misleading labelling of goods from settlements as being from Israel. Ireland has been to the fore in securing many of these actions.
At Israel’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council last year, Ireland raised the continued expansion of settlements, and urged that Israel abide by its international legal obligations, including under the Fourth Geneva Convention, on the treatment of a civilian population under military occupation. I reiterated our concerns about these policies in my speech to the UN General Assembly in September.
These actions by Ireland and others have had some effects in halting, delaying or mitigating some actions, but we are all aware that the pressure on Palestinian communities continues and is growing. I again call upon the Israeli authorities to halt the demolitions of Palestinian property and the removal of Palestinian communities, and will continue to work to that end.
