Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
260. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she plans to use Ireland’s EU Presidency to highlight the issue of Palestinian statehood, as opposed to humanitarian relief for Gaza, at the relevant Council of Ministers meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30978/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGiven our own history of conflict and peacebuilding at home, Ireland has a longstanding commitment to a just, sustainable and lasting peace in the Middle East. This will frame our response to crises the Middle East, as in other regions, throughout the tenure of our Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Throughout the Presidency, Ireland will continue to reaffirm the EU’s commitment to international law and to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on the two-State solution, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side-by-side in peace within secure and recognised borders.
On 28 May 2024, the Government decided to formally recognise the State of Palestine as a sovereign, independent State, within the territory defined by the 1967 borders referenced in UN Security Council resolution 242 (1967).
Our recognition of Palestine was a concrete step, taken along with trusted international partners. Since then we have been working closely with Arab and Gulf partners, as well as partners in Europe and beyond to promote implementation of the two-State solution.
Ireland is actively working with the EU and other partners in the region and beyond to create an enabling environment for the Palestinian Authority. I was pleased to attend the inaugural meeting of the Palestine Donor Group last November in Brussels where I had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Mustafa and Palestinian Minister for Finance and Planning Estephan Salameh. At that meeting, I called on Israel to release withheld Palestinian tax clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority and take all necessary measures to ensure that correspondent banking services between Israeli and Palestinian banks remain in place. Ireland has been clear that the progress the Palestinian Authority has made on reforms is being continually undermined by Israel.
In addition, Ireland is an active participant in the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. On 28 January, Ireland hosted the eighth meeting of the Global Alliance at Croke Park in Dublin. The meeting brought together senior officials and diplomats from more than 50 countries and international organisations. The event focused on sharing lessons from Ireland’s own experience of peacebuilding in Northern Ireland, and how dialogue, inclusion and strong institutions can help turn conflict into lasting peace.
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. I also met with my Palestinian counterpart, Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian at the Munich Security Council in February and heard first-hand the serious impact that Israel’s withholding of Palestinian tax revenues is having on the Palestinian economy.
The Government is committed to supporting the Palestinian Authority, both politically and financially. Political and economic security in the West Bank is central to its stability and to the security of the wider region, as well as being an essential component to the viability of the two-State solution. Ireland has provided over €112 million in support of the people of Palestine since 2023.
Ireland will continue to use all the tools at its disposal – political, legal, diplomatic and humanitarian – to support the Palestinian people to achieve self-determination through the two-State solution. This is the only way to establish lasting peace and security for Israel and Palestine and the wider region.
