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Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs 26-3-2009

Senator Daly: I would like to join the Chairman in commending Mr. Ging’s courage. Ernest Hemingway described courage as “grace under pressure”. When Mr. Ging was on television over Christmas, he displayed that in abundance. I was in Palestine this time last year. I would like to ask a question that I have also asked at the Joint Committee on European Affairs. It relates to the fact that approximately 80% of Israel’s trade is with the EU. The human rights clause — I think it is clause 2 — in the EU’s trade agreement with Israel states that Israel’s preferential trade agreement with the EU can be revoked if human rights violations are deemed to have taken place. There has been a great deal of talk about possible human rights abuses. Does Mr. Ging believe that human rights abuses have taken place? If they have taken place, does Mr. Ging believe that the overall situation in Palestine would benefit if the EU were to withdraw its preferential trade agreement with Israel? The imposition of trade sanctions on South Africa affected the situation there in the 1980s.

Like Deputy O’Hanlon, I would like to know what Ireland can do to assist Mr. Ging’s work in Gaza. Does Mr. Ging believe that a trip by the members of this committee to Gaza, to see the situation on the ground for ourselves, would be beneficial? Perhaps the Chairman can also consider that question. The last time we went out there, we got as far as Sderot. An attack may or may not have been taking place while we were there. I find it amazing that the EU is prepared to send €600 million to this area, which has been destroyed by the Israelis, without any recourse to a resolution. It has been destroyed by the Israelis and I would estimate it will probably be destroyed again sometime soon by the Israelis. It might not happen next year or the year after. Without any recourse to a resolution that money is temporary money. While we will rebuild the schools, the infrastructure and the power stations, the EU is sitting on its hands by not using the weapon of trade to get the Israelis to give the Palestinians in Gaza some form of human rights, some standard of living and some hope for the future. The spending of that money could be pure folly. I would like Mr. Ging’s view on that. I know the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza needs the money immediately, but without the EU using its considerable muscle on trade with the Israelis, I question the sensibility of trying to raise it in these difficult times and spending it, only for the Israelis to blow it all up again.