Written Answers Nos. 1-30
8. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will re-examine the proposed legislation to ban the import of goods from illegal settlements in Palestine in view of recent attacks by the Israeli state there on human rights and the ongoing demolition of homes by the Israeli state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38339/20]
View answerThe demolition by Israeli authorities of private property is of grave concern. Demolition and confiscation of humanitarian assets, including education infrastructure, is contrary to Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, and in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention.
I was deeply dismayed to learn of the demolition by Israeli authorities on 3 November of more than 70 structures, in the community of Humsa Al Bqai’a located in the northern Jordan Valley. I issued a statement on 6 November and Ireland’s Representative Office in Ramallah has visited the site of the demolitions. Ireland, the EU, and the wider humanitarian community are ready to support those impacted and the West Bank Protection Consortium, of which Ireland is a member, is providing emergency shelter and support to affected families.
Ireland has a very clear position on Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. They are illegal under international law and actively undermine the prospects for a Two-State solution.
You raise the issue of a ban on import of settlement goods. Such a ban would not be compatible with EU law, and would not be implementable. This is the clear legal advice on this matter. The Government will therefore not be taking it forward.
As it stands, however, EU law does already make a meaningful distinction between Israel, and settlements in occupied territory. This distinction has important practical effects. Since settlements are not part of Israel, the EU-Israel Association Agreement does not apply to them. This means that different tariffs apply to goods from settlements, and settlements are not eligible for participation in EU-Israel programmes.
EU law and guidelines clearly differentiate between settlements on the one hand, and Israel, on the other. As such, they are an important part of the EU contribution to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemns the construction and expansion of settlements.
Ireland will maintain its vigilance to ensure full implementation of these laws and guidelines.
12. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he and his EU and UN colleagues are alert to the situation in Armenia, Azerbaijan, in respect of Nagorno-Karabakh and Ethiopia-Sudan horn of Africa; the degree to which initiatives have been taken to address the humanitarian issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38273/20]
View answerIreland has consistently called for a cessation of hostilities and we welcome the agreement reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan to end the military conflict in and around Nagorno Karabakh. We remain deeply concerned for the humanitarian situation in the region, where hostilities have had a devastating impact on local civilian populations. Ensuring access for humanitarian organisations must be a top priority to avoid further catastrophe as we head into the winter months. Ireland and the EU will fully support efforts to help bring about a sustainable and lasting peace and we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance. In that regard, we note the key role that the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees will continue to play.
I am deeply concerned by the outbreak of armed conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, including the reported atrocities and ethnic profiling, and the humanitarian consequences. Ireland is actively supporting the efforts of the EU and wider international community to de-escalate the situation, including through engagement with the African Union which has appointed three Special Envoys. Minister Coveney has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and the commencement of a national dialogue to de-escalate tensions. Minister Coveney has also condemned the reported atrocities and identity-based attacks. It is essential to ensure that the human rights of all Ethiopians are upheld. I am gravely concerned by reports that Ethiopia’s federal military has said civilians should protect themselves from heavy artillery, in advance of a planned assault against the regional capital. I urge all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law.
Ireland is also a longstanding humanitarian supporter of the wider Horn of Africa region. In the context of the Tigray crisis my Department has reallocated €416,000 for the humanitarian response within Ethiopia and €500,000 to assist refugees in Eastern Sudan.
13. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to enter discussions with the President-elect of the United States of America, Mr. Joe Biden, on the issue of the difficulties facing undocumented Irish persons in the United States and in particular the progression of the E3 visa Bill through Congress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38205/20]
View answer14. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will use the opportunity of the election of President-elect Joe Biden to make representations to the incoming Administration there around the plight of the undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States. [38301/20]
View answer23. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the way in which his Department is engaging with US Government agencies with regard to the undocumented Irish. [38082/20]
View answer30. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made to date on resolving the issue of undocumented Irish in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38208/20]
View answer46. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if progress has been made on establishing an E3 visa agreement between Ireland and the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38209/20]
View answer56. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding proposed immigration reform in the United States with particular reference to the difficulties facing the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38291/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14, 23, 30, 46 and 56 together.
The issue of Irish immigration to the US, particularly the status of the undocumented Irish, has been a high priority for successive Governments and continues to be one of my key priorities. Immigration issues have been raised on an ongoing basis in our engagement with the US Administration and political leaders. I have raised these issues in recent contacts with Special Envoy Mick Mulvaney and with the US Ambassador, as well as with members of the US Administration and both Houses of Congress during my visit to Washington D.C. at the end of September.
In the US, our Embassy and Consulates General across the country continue to monitor the situation closely and to engage with US officials on immigration issues, including with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They also actively support Irish community groups that provide assistance and information to vulnerable Irish and the undocumented.
Many of these community groups are members of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers, which receives significant annual funding through the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme for their work. In 2019, over €3m ($3.7m) was allocated to 88 organisations across the US, including those that provide front-line welfare assistance to Irish citizens. Furthermore, and in response to the pandemic, a dedicated COVID-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad was set up to help these organisations meet the needs of those who are particularly vulnerable.
We maintain close relations with members of Congress and contacts from across the political spectrum, and will continue to seek opportunities to deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations with the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden. The President-elect has always been a stalwart friend and supporter of Ireland, and we look forward to working closely with him and the incoming Administration, as reaffirmed by the Taoiseach during their recent telephone phone call.
Post-pandemic, we want to see people-to-people links strengthened and we look forward to working with the new Administration, as well as with the United States Congress, across the aisle, to pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the US. Our Embassy and network of Consulates General will continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to engage with any Federal and State initiatives on this issue.
In terms of securing future pathways for immigration, we continue to prioritise the E3 Visa Bill which is currently before the US Senate, having been passed in the House of Representatives. The bill was reintroduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Neal and Sensenbrenner in May 2019. If passed, this could allow access to thousands of US visas each year to Irish citizens, providing new opportunities to live and work in the US. While the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted upon the congressional agenda, we hope that, when the circumstances allow, the Bill will also be passed in the Senate. We will continue to explore all available options for securing this.
15. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there has been discussion at the European council of foreign ministers in relation to controlling the multibillion euro EU arms industry and ensuring that EU manufacturers of armaments are only being used according to EU-wide guidelines; the position Ireland adopted in such discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38363/20]
View answerEU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (CP) defines common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment, and sets out eight risk assessment criteria to be taken into consideration when assessing military goods applications. These criteria include respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, internal situation in the destination country and risk of diversion.
The EU is the only regional organisation to have established a legally binding arrangement on conventional arms exports. Decisions on licensing of exports remain a Member State competence, with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment responsible for this issue in Ireland.
The EU Working Party on Conventional Arms Exports meets monthly to discuss export controls for conventional arms, and allows EU Member States to share information on their export policies to non-EU countries, and on national denials of applications for export licenses to non-EU countries.
In the EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings over the past year, EU Foreign Ministers have discussed the issue of arms exports in the context of existing EU and UN arms embargoes. On 14 October 2019 the Council discussed the commitment of Member States to strong national positions regarding arms export policies to Turkey, in response to unilateral Turkish military action in Syria. In these discussions, Ireland supported strict application of the Common Position criteria in response to Turkey's actions.
In October 2020, the EU launched a searchable online database that allows all stakeholders consult and analyse data on Member States’ arms exports in a user-friendly manner. In December 2019, the EU renewed funding for its iTrace project with Conflict Armament Research. The iTrace project aims to provide concrete information on the diversion and trafficking of conventional arms and their ammunition, including providing tailored support to Member States to assist in diversion risk assessment and mitigation, and to expose routes and entities involved in diversion to conflict zones.
16. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding Ireland's plans to ensure an effective landbridge for Irish agriculture in the aftermath of Brexit to the European market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38192/20]
View answerPost transition, operators will still be able to move goods across the UK Landbridge but the way they use the Landbridge will change.
The UK's accession to the Common Transit Convention (CTC) is welcome. It allows EU goods to move under transit through Great Britain without undergoing full import and export formalities on entry and exit. However, to avail of the benefits of the Convention, a number of new administrative steps must be completed in Ireland, Great Britain and at the port of re-entry. Details of all these new steps can be found at GOV.IE/Brexit. Furthermore, each consignment must also have a financial guarantee during the movement.
Under Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625, a range of goods, including animals and products of animal origin (POAO), are subject to controls on re-entering the Union and must be prior-notified to the Border Control Post (BCP) of re-entry to the EU ahead of arrival. Ireland has undertaken substantial engagements at political and official level across the EU to ensure EU goods moving under transit are not subject to additional and unnecessary checks and controls. In particular, we have worked with our French, Belgian and Dutch counterparts to understand each other’s BCP operations.
For the vast majority of consignments transiting the Landbridge, documentary checks will be performed electronically in advance of the consignment re-entering the EU, and once the correct paperwork is in place transit goods should be “green-routed” to leave the Port. Identity and physical checks will only be necessary where the authorities suspect non-compliance. It is therefore vital that operators have the correct administration work in place.
We have regularly noted the likelihood of delays in UK ports for some time now and operators should plan accordingly.
Operators may wish to look at direct route options. The process for moving goods directly between Ireland and other EU Member States will not change nor be subject to the new procedures set out on our website.
17. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action his Department has taken to build contacts with the incoming Biden Administration in the United States of America; if such efforts are being facilitated by the United States Department of State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38452/20]
View answerIreland's relationship with the US is built on a deep foundation of ancestral ties and decades of close political, diplomatic and economic engagement. Strengthening bilateral relations with the US is a priority for Ireland as set out in our Programme for Government, as well in our Strategy for the US and Canada 2019-2025.
With each successive administration in the White House and each successive US Congress, our relationship has been valued and strengthened, to the benefit of our people on both sides of the Atlantic. The Government engages regularly with the US Administration and with US elected representatives from across the political spectrum.
At the end of September, I travelled to the US for a series of engagements in Washington D.C., which included meetings with representatives from the Administration, as well as with Members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans. We will continue to maintain close relations with Members of Congress and contacts from across the political spectrum, and will continue to seek opportunities to deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations with the new administration of President-elect Joe Biden.
The Taoiseach and President-elect Biden spoke by telephone two weeks ago, during which the President-elect reaffirmed his full support for the Good Friday Agreement. In addition, they looked forward to working together bilaterally and across a range of international areas including EU-US relations, the UN including the Security Council, and on the important global challenges of COVID19, economic recovery and climate change.
We look forward to working with the new Administration, once it is in place, to progress international peace and security. In particular I look forward to working with President-elect Biden's foreign policy team - Tony Blinken as Secretary of State, Jake Sullivan as National Security Advisor, and Linda Thomas-Greenfield as US Ambassador to the UN
We will of course work closely as well as with the United States Congress, across the aisle, to pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the US. We are also committed to strengthening transatlantic relations more broadly.
Ireland has always maintained close relations with the US and will continue to do so, including through our Embassy in Washington D.C., our other diplomatic Missions across the United States and through the US Embassy in Dublin.
18. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the preparations that have been made ahead of Ireland joining the UN Security Council in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38070/20]
View answerIreland will take up its seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term on 1 January. We will engage constructively across the Council agenda, on the basis of three core principles: Building Peace, Strengthening Prevention, and Ensuring Accountability.
A key aspect of Building Peace is peacekeeping. We will look to improve peacekeeping mandates, and strengthen the link with peacebuilding. We want to emphasise an inclusive approach, ensuring the involvement of women, youth and civil society.
On Strengthening Prevention, we will address drivers of conflict, notably human rights violations and climate change, and strengthen the protection of civilians, including from conflict-related hunger.
To Ensure Accountability, we will uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, and stand firmly in support of the International Criminal Court.
We will also engage actively on country-specific issues. We are identifying where we can have most impact, for example on Women Peace and Security, on climate and security, in relation to Iran and the JCPOA, on sanctions policy and practice, and on humanitarian access in Syria.
We have good relationships with the Council’s Permanent and elected members. We do not agree on everything, and we have no illusions on the challenges ahead. I am undertaking a series of consultations with a wide range of counterparts and my officials are doing the same.
We will draw from the extensive expertise available within Irish civil society and academia. We have established a stakeholder forum, in partnership with the IIEA, to support us in planning for our Council term.
This is a Government-wide effort, and we will work closely with other Departments. An inter-departmental coordination group has been established to facilitate information sharing and ensure coherence on cross-cutting issues.
I was pleased to discuss our preparations with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on 12 November, and I look forward to keeping the Oireachtas informed of our work on the Council throughout Ireland’s term.
19. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on reports of mass killings in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia; his views on whether this could escalate to a civil war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37907/20]
View answer25. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consequences of the conflict in Ethiopia and the region of Tigray in relation to the worsening humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and the region of Tigray and for stability in the Horn of Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37958/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 25 together.
I am deeply concerned by the recent outbreak of armed conflict between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the regional authorities in Tigray and by reports of atrocities and targeting of ethnic groups. There are credible allegations of mass casualties, including civilian casualties, and of human rights abuses. There is a grave risk of a humanitarian crisis. Tigray is home to many refugees, displaced persons and local communities already coping with the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. If not contained, this conflict could threaten the stability of Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, and have serious regional implications for the wider Horn of Africa, one of the continent’s most fragile regions.
Ireland is actively supporting the efforts of the EU and wider international community to de-escalate the situation, including through engagement with the African Union which has appointed three Special Envoys. Minister Coveney has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and the commencement of a national dialogue to de-escalate tensions. Minister Coveney has also condemned the reported atrocities and identity-based attacks. It is essential to ensure that the human rights of all Ethiopians are upheld. I am gravely concerned by reports that Ethiopia’s federal military has said civilians should protect themselves from heavy artillery, in advance of a planned assault against the regional capital. I urge all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law.
The situation in Ethiopia was raised by HRVP Borrell at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 19 November. Minister Coveney intervened calling for continued EU efforts to push for a resolution of the crisis, and stressed the need to act fast and collectively to call for unconditional, unrestricted access for humanitarian actors to affected areas.
Ireland’s Embassy in Addis Ababa is engaging closely with other EU Heads of Mission, the UN and other members of the international community in monitoring, reporting and advocating on the situation and in preparing for an emergency humanitarian response.
Ireland’s largest bilateral development cooperation programme is in Ethiopia. The Embassy of Ireland is in the process of providing €416,000 to the humanitarian response in Tigray, along with a projected €500,000 to support refugees in Eastern Sudan. My Department is actively looking at ways to address other critical funding needs in light of the escalating humanitarian situation.
20. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has spoken to his counterpart in the UK Government in relation to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings; if he will provide an update on the independent police team's analytic report into the Glenanne series of cases that was announced by the PSNI on 30 November 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32085/20]
View answerThe Government is committed to actively pursuing the implementation of the All-Party Dáil motions with respect to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, as highlighted in the Programme for Government, and has consistently raised the issue with the British Government, including at the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference. I raised this issue most recently in my meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 8 October in Hillsborough.
The All-Party motion on the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings that was adopted by Dáil Éireann on 25 May 2016, like those adopted in 2008 and 2011, calls on the British Government to allow access by an independent, international judicial figure to all original documents relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
We have made clear to our counterparts that the absence of a response from the British Government is of deep concern to the Government, and that there remains an urgent need for a response.
The Government welcomed the announcement by the PSNI on 30 November 2019 that former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher would head an Independent Police Team to conduct an analytical report on collusion in what has become known as the Glenanne Gang series of cases. This is very relevant to a number of cases including the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
This work is currently ongoing and the Government will remain strongly supportive of facilitating these investigations, in accordance with the law, and as we have other investigative processes in Northern Ireland dealing with Troubles cases.
The Government will also continue to closely monitor the outcome of all such relevant investigations, as we pursue all possible avenues to achieve progress on the Dáil Motions, and the request made by this House to the British Government.
21. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on new illegal settlements on the West Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38265/20]
View answer29. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised concerns internationally regarding the recent expansion of Israeli illegal settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38198/20]
View answer36. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that EU diplomats present were called anti-Semites following the chasing away of the EU’s Head of Mission to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Mr. Sven Kühn Von Burgsdorff, from a Jerusalem neighbourhood, Givat Hamatos, the day after Israel issued tenders for 1,257 new homes in the area; the action the EU has taken on the matter to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37959/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 29 and 36 together.
Ireland's position on settlement expansion is absolutely clear. Settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory is clearly illegal under international law.
On 16 October, I made a statement condemning a significant further settlement expansion of close to 5000 new housing units in the West Bank and in and around Jerusalem, including Givat Hamatos.
On 15 November, the Israeli authorities announced a decision to open a tender for construction of a new settlement of over 1,200 housing units in Givat Hamatos in occupied East Jerusalem. I outlined Ireland’s position on this in a statement on 17 November. I condemned the decision by Israeli authorities to open this tender which undermines the viability and territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian State and the possibility of a negotiated Two-State solution in line with the internationally agreed parameters with Jerusalem as the future capital of two states. It also erodes trust and confidence between the parties, which is critical for the resumption of meaningful negotiations.
Senior officials in my Department met the Israeli Ambassador on 17 November to underline Ireland’s serious concerns at the expansion of settlements in this strategically sensitive area between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Ireland’s Representative in Ramallah visited the Givat Hamatos site on 16 November, along with a number of other EU and non-EU colleagues, including the EU Representative. I am aware that there were vocal but peaceful pro-settlement protests during their visit. The press conference after the visit was held at another location so that the press interviews could be fully audible.
The EU HRVP Mr. Borrell made a statements on this issue on 15 October and 15 November. On 18 November, following the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, the current and incoming EU members of the Council (Ireland, Belgium, Estonia, France and Germany), along with Norway as a fellow incoming member, delivered a joint media statement on the Middle East Peace Process in which we called on Israel to halt all settlement expansion and demolitions.
Ireland continues to call on the Israeli Government to reverse this decision and to halt all settlement construction. Our longstanding support for a Two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains an integral aspect of our foreign policy, which I will continue to prioritise.
22. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of Brexit negotiations regarding the protection of Irish fisheries and their fishing rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38306/20]
View answerThe issues of fisheries, along with governance arrangements and provisions for a level playing field, have been the most challenging issues in the EU-UK future relationship negotiations. Securing an overall future relationship agreement, including the best possible outcome on fisheries is a priority for Ireland. I have repeatedly raised fisheries as a priority for Ireland in my bilateral political contacts, as indeed has the Taoiseach, Minister McConalogue and other members of the Government. In particular we, and our EU partners, are very clear that the issue of fisheries cannot be separated from the wider trade negotiations.
Ireland is seeking to protect the interests of the Irish fleet in relation to access conditions, quota shares and the traditional activity of the EU fleet, while insisting that fisheries issues are dealt with as part of an overall trade deal. It is vital that we do everything possible to protect our vulnerable coastal communities and fishers. In particular, it will be important to ensure no EU Member States are disproportionately affected by any new arrangements.
From the outset of the negotiations, Ireland and our EU partners have been clear on our level of ambition in this area and on the fact that progress on an overall economic partnership agreement on trade is linked to progress on fisheries.
The Brexit Stakeholder Forum, which I chair, meets regularly to discuss progress in the EU-UK Future Relationship negotiations, and is attended by representatives of the fisheries sector.
Clearly, the two sides are still very far apart even as we approach the final stages of the negotiations. The European Commission Task Force, led by Michel Barnier, is continuing to work towards achieving an overall agreement, and for a satisfactory outcome on this area. Affected Member States, including Ireland, are continuing our very close engagement with the Taskforce on the EU approach.
26. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress in having the international community, including the EU and the UN, recognise Ireland’s sovereignty over Rockall. [38406/20]
View answerRockall is a small uninhabitable rock located approximately 160 nautical miles west of the Scottish islands of St. Kilda and 230 nautical miles to the north-west of Donegal. During the 1960s and 1970s the issue of Rockall was a source of legal and political controversy in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. The UK claimed sovereignty over Rockall in 1955 and purported to annex it under its 1972 Island of Rockall Act.
While Ireland has never recognised British sovereignty over Rockall, neither have we ever sought to claim sovereignty ourselves. The consistent position of successive Irish Governments has been that Rockall and similar rocks and skerries should have no significance for establishing legal claims to continental shelf or an exclusive economic zone. Ireland, together with a number of like-minded countries, worked hard to advance this position at the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea which took place from 1972 to 1982 and I'm glad to say that it is fully reflected in the Convention adopted at the end of that Conference. Article 121, paragraph 3 of the UN Law of the Sea Convention provides that: ‘Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.’
28. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress in relation to suspending Israel from the EU-Med and EU neighbourhood agreements, given its continuous flagrant breaches of the human rights of the Palestinian people and specifically its recent settlement programmes on Palestinian land. [38405/20]
View answerThe Government is opposed to any move to suspend Israel from the EU-Mediterranean Association Agreement and EU Neighbourhood Agreement. Such suspensions would not serve the interests of any of the parties and, in any case, would require consensus within the European Union.
A proposal to suspend or review the terms of the agreement would result in a divisive debate which would divert attention from the need to restore momentum to the peace process. It could also result in further difficulties in ensuring the delivery of assistance to the Palestinian people.
Ireland's position on settlement expansion, related infrastructure development, the demolition of Palestinian homes and other buildings, and the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes, is extremely clear. Settlements are illegal under international law, and all actions which compromise the viability of a future Palestinian state are very damaging.
The announcement on 15 November of the opening of tenders for settlement construction in the strategic area of Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem is of grave concern. As I underlined in my statement on 16 November, this action by the Israeli authorities actively undermines the prospects for a two-state solution. Ireland has consistently and strongly opposed settlements, and Ireland’s Representative in Ramallah visited the site on 16 November along with other European diplomats. Senior officials in my Department met with the Ambassador of Israel to Ireland on 17 November to underline Ireland’s serious concerns at this decision.
Ireland regularly conveys our views on these actions to the Israeli authorities, both directly and through the EU. Ireland and the EU stand by the internationally agreed parameters for a negotiated peace agreement and continue to urge the Israeli Government to uphold its international legal obligations, including under the Fourth Geneva Convention on the treatment of a civilian population, and under international human rights law.
