As I stated in my response to the Parliamentary Question no. 250, referred to by the Deputy, I remain gravely concerned by the ongoing human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and particularly the impact on children and their education. Ireland has repeatedly emphasised that the rights of children to education without fear of violence or attack must be upheld at all times.
Ireland’s position on these issues is, and will continue to be, based on international law, including Israel’s obligations as the occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention. I remain deeply troubled by the lack of accountability for violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in relation to attacks on education.
Ireland continues to be active on these issues in the United Nations Security Council. At the Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East on 29 September, Ireland expressed concern about the recent increase in violence in the occupied Palestinian territory. Referring to the incidence of settler violence on 28 September in the South Hebron Hills in which a young child was seriously injured, Ireland called on the Israeli authorities to hold those responsible accountable and to end the culture of impunity around all such incidents of violence.
I have also raised these matters with my counterparts at EU level. At an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 27 May, I called on EU colleagues to address the root causes of violence, including settlement expansion, in a more robust way. I raised similar points at the Foreign Affairs Council on 21 June. It is vital that the international community does all it can to seek to address the root causes of violence and tension.
