Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 March 2018
95. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he formally raised the issue of trade with illegal settlements at the last meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14209/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Israel Palestine conflict did not feature on the agenda of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 March, having been discussed at the January and February meetings.
I have corresponded with the Deputy on the question of raising the specific aspect of trade with settlement goods. I have no difficulty with discussing this at European level, but it is a matter of judgement what is the most important and fruitful aspect to try and advance at any given time or meeting.
Ireland has already previously raised at EU level the question of whether settlement goods should be excluded from the EU market – this being a separate question from suggestions of sanctions on trade with Israel, which we do not support. In addition, the EU and its Member States are in near continuous discussion and negotiation at official level on all aspects of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, including many which bear in some way on questions to do with settlements and settlement goods.
It is absolutely clear from these continuous contacts that there is no possibility whatever of getting substantial support, still less consensus, for a proposal to exclude settlement goods. The reality is that a substantial number of EU partners are highly resistant to such proposals, precisely because they consider them to be steps towards a trade ban, which they will not at this point countenance. Advocacy on this issue would only be likely to be counterproductive for other ideas we might pursue.
We have therefore instead focussed our efforts in relation to settlements on practical measures to differentiate in EU policies between Israel itself and the illegal settlements. This has resulted in a number of EU measures already, including guidelines on labelling of settlement goods, and exclusion of settlement institutions from EU research funding. I have, nevertheless, asked my officials to continue to explore further such options, as well as the potential for them to gain support from EU partners, and such discussions at official level will inform my continuing assessment on how best to take this issue forward.
