Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs - Middle East Peace Process Presentation - 8th March 2006

Joint Committee on Forign Affairs - Middle East Peace Process Presentation - 8th March 2006
Senator Norris: Shalom, Ve Salaam, Ani Lo Jehudi, Ani Nasri Aval Ysefhli Harbe, Haverim B'Yershalaim Phalestinim Vegam Yisraelim. It is instructive that the two groups have attended the meeting together. It is the most hopeful sign I have seen for a long time of the possibility of constructive engagement of the two Semitic cultures on these issues. I welcome the fact that both groups are here together and agree on so much. Where there is the possibility of this common ground, we should assist it as much as we possibly can.
I know and love the State of Israel. I am proud of my former partner of nearly 30 years, Ezra Yitzhak, whose work in the villages around south Hebron was seen by the committee on its visit to the area — I have visited the area myself. It is an obscenity to see the illegal and arrogant settlers, so many of them from Europe and the United States, make their arrogant claim on the land of subsistence farmers. I have witnessed the way in which settlers who are known to be illegal, even under Israeli law and certainly under international law, are connected to sewerage and electricity supplies and are protected in contrast to the position of the farmers who have been there for generations. Those farmers are completely apolitical — they are simple people who want to rear their families, practice their religion and look after their goats. They have been prevented from developing a schoolyard because they must have permission to do so, but that permission is automatically refused even though the Israeli Government has no real status in the matter. They are deprived of proper sanitation and medical facilities.
I am proud that Ezra puts his life at risk every day of the week. He has been told an attempt will be made to kill him. If he cycled without a light on his bicycle, he would be arrested because the settlers are targeting him so that eventually they will be able to exclude him. I am glad of the protection afforded to him by the committee’s visit and by the report it produced because that report makes it more unlikely he will be the victim of severe oppression.
I have seen the way wells, animals and wildlife were poisoned. I am glad to note this created repercussions among the Israeli public when details were published in Haaretz and other newspapers.
I pay tribute not just to representatives of the Arab community such as Mr. Hamdi Shaqqura and Hanan Ashrawi, but also to groups within Israel such as Physicians for Human Rights. I spoke yesterday to Yonatan Shapira, the leader of the 30 pilots who defied orders to bomb civilian targets. I commend their courage.
I have seen the wall. I was as shocked as everybody else. It is horrendous. It destroys economic co-operation between Arab and Israeli. So many projects were separated from each other in communities around Tulkarm. I visited those communities with Christian Aid, to which I pay tribute for its work and the excellent reports it has produced.
Some good judgments have been made by the Israeli courts, which we must accept. I have difficulties with the activities of some courts and some judgments — I have the same difficulties in this country. However, I am glad there is at least a degree of independence which can curtail Israeli Government and settler activity.
Do the witnesses perceive that underneath the public posturing of Hamas there is some kind of secret movement towards a negotiated settlement with Israel, which is inevitable? If Hamas continues to hold the position it held when it was regarded as an international outlaw, it will make international outlaws of its people, which would be the most tragic end of all — it would be a disaster. We are possibly facing disaster but remarkable opportunities exist if there are people of courage on both sides who are prepared to, as we in this country had to, meet privately with their most bitter enemies — with those from both sides who had murdered their relatives. That is the bullet that must be bitten.
Like Deputy Michael D. Higgins, I have spoken about the external association agreement. While I proposed a resolution that we should operate the human rights clauses, this seems to be outside the world of realpolitik so perhaps Deputy Higgins’s suggestion with regard to monitoring is better.
Given the dominance of Hamas, there is concern with regard to European Union funding for Palestine. For example, its education department has produced textbooks of a kind from which it was thought the Palestinian Authority was moving away. It seems likely dangerous and provocative educational material will be produced, and it would be regarded as highly inappropriate if European money was used for this end.
I am sorry I did not hear all of the contributions. I am a past proposer of a Seanad motion with regard to another obscenity, the American extraordinary rendition flights through Shannon Airport. I am afraid I will have to revisit the issue soon. I intend no discourtesy to the committee or our guests but I will have to leave presently.