TÁNAISTE AND FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has said that he will be bringing forward proposals for the Government to recognise the State of Palestine, once international discussions have concluded.
Speaking in the Dáil this evening following a speech from new Taoiseach Simon Harris, Martin said that Ireland was coordinating with other countries in relation to supporting Palestinian statehood.
“For the past six months, I’ve maintained ongoing discussions with ministerial colleagues in other countries about how a joint formal recognition of a Palestinian statehood could be a catalyst to help the people of Gaza and the West Bank and in furthering and Arab-led peace mission,” he said.
“We’ve agreed that the undermining of the Oslo Accords and therefore the agreement to create two states has reached the point where the Accords’ approach of recognition after a final agreement is not credible or tenable any longer.
“I’ve discussed this with those in the region who are working on peace initiatives, and coordination with other countries continues to intensify.
We’ve discussed this between the government parties and it is my intention to bring to government a formal proposal on recognition when these wider international discussions are complete. But be in no doubt recognition of a Palestinian state will happen.
When asked by The Journal if we can expect this to be brought to Cabinet in the next couple of weeks, the Tánaiste said that yes, this was the case.
The Tánaiste said he was awaiting new ceasefire negotiations to conclude and that he was hopeful they will be successful.
Martin is due to speak with the Spanish Prime Minister tomorrow regarding progressing work on the recognition.
A Bill recognising Palestinian statehood passed successfully through both the Seanad and the Dáil in 2014 but the Government has yet to follow through on it, instead saying it wished to do so in coordination with other EU states.
In March, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar released a joint statement with Malta, Slovenia and Spain saying that the countries had “discussed together our readiness to recognise Palestine and said that we would do so when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right”.
“We are agreed that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side, in peace and security.
“We discussed together our readiness to recognise Palestine and said that we would do so when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right.”
Speaking in February, Varadkar said that “a number of EU states acting together to recognise Palestine could enable a more equal negotiation to happen, after the war has ended in Gaza, in around a two state solution”.
With reporting from Jane Matthews
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