I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 211 together.
Demolitions, evictions and related policies threatening Palestinian communities in the West Bank are a central focus of the Government’s engagement on the conflict in the Middle East. These policies drive Palestinians off the land in Area C, which comprises the majority of the West Bank, facilitating subsequent occupation by Israeli settlers. The EU has consistently stated that such policies pose a threat to negotiations on a two-state solution. Forcible transfer of this nature is expressly outlawed under international law.
It should also be noted that many of those communities, which are now under threat, are located where they are because they have already been relocated once from their former homes in Israel.
The specific cases cited by the Deputies are just two of many communities so threatened. Both villages have been under threat of demolition for many years, and the Israeli Defence Minister has recently stated that both removals will be carried out within months. There are legal processes still ongoing in both cases, but there is no doubt about the real threat to these communities.
My Department has been engaged with the cases of these two communities for several years, and previous Ministers have reported on our actions in that regard, including visits to the sites and attendance at court hearings. In the case of Khan al-Ahmar, the Irish representative in Ramallah visited the village with a high-level diplomatic group on 20 September, in advance of the court hearing scheduled for 25 September, which was later postponed. He also met with the lawyer defending the community.
It is unfortunately not possible for our missions to follow all these cases in detail, or be present at each hearing, but we cooperate with other EU missions to try and ensure as wide a coverage as possible. Ireland also supports Israeli and Palestinian NGOs involved in defending and assisting threatened communities on the ground.
We also regularly convey to the Israeli authorities our views both on these overall policies and on specific cases. We do this via the Embassy of Israel in Ireland, or directly with the Foreign Ministry and other authorities in Israel, and in other contacts. I also raised these concerns myself in my various meetings during my visit in July. The Government of Israel is very well aware of our views.
