The Government is gravely concerned about the crisis in the Middle East which has claimed more than 260 lives and left more than 10,000 people wounded. The scale of the violence is horrific. The past fortnight witnessed an attack by Israeli naval ships and helicopter gunships on 13 buildings in Gaza city and the sustained bombardment of the villages of Beit Sohour and Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, and horrific bomb attacks on the Israeli town of Hadera and on an Israeli school bus in Gaza.
This appalling violence has put in jeopardy the Middle East peace process in which so many hopes have been placed. The spiral of violence risks triggering further escalation of the crisis. The Government has made clear its position. We deplore all acts of violence and call again on both sides to exercise the utmost restraint and to do all in their power to avoid further escalation. In particular, we have called on Israel to end the use of lethal force in dealing with protests where civilian policing methods would be more appropriate, and to end the economic blockade of Palestinian communities which is causing acute hardship.
We strongly support the Sharm-el-Sheikh agreement and all efforts to restore calm and to find a peaceful solution. The first priority, as agreed at Sharm-el-Sheikh, must be to end the violence. The objective will be to resume the peace negotiations leading to the achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, which must necessarily recognise both the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and Israel's right to live in peace and security.
Our position has been conveyed to both the Israelis and Palestinians. I had discussions last month with the Palestinian Minister for International Co-operation, Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, and subsequently with Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior, a special emissary of Prime Minister Barak. I stressed the need for maximum restraint and encouraged Israelis and Palestinians to work together in rebuilding trust. I also took the opportunity at the Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers' Conference in Marseilles to express the Government's concerns, in conversations with both the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Shlomo Ben-Ami, and with Dr. Sha'ath.
Ireland fully supports the European Union's continuing efforts to defuse the crisis and to encourage Israeli and Palestinian leaders to come together and work for a ceasefire.
Additional Information.The General Affairs Council in Brussels last week called on both sides to fully implement the points agreed at Sharm-el-Sheikh and in subsequent meetings. In particular, the council called on Israel to withdraw its forces from Palestinian territories to the positions they occupied before the crisis and to end the use of lethal force. We also called for an end to the economic sanctions and the restriction of movement in the Palestinian territories. At the same time, we called on the Palestinian Authority to do all in its power to end the violence. We made clear our willingness to assist in efforts to end the current violence and facilitate a return to the peace process.
We support the commission of inquiry agreed at Sharm-el-Sheikh. The commission met over the last two days to adopt its terms of reference and operation. The commission should now begin its work at the earliest possible date. This will be an important measure to help rebuild the confidence and trust which are essential to the success of every peace process.
We are closely following developments in the Security Council in addition to our contact with the parties concerned and would hope that progress will have been made by the time we take our seat on the Security Council in January. As a member of the council, we will be considering the situation both in the light of developments and in line with Government policy.