Israeli Ambassador and Palestinian Counterpart to Attend Oireachtas Committee Meeting on Gaza Situation
21st June 2010
Following the partial lifting of the blockade on Gaza both individuals who represent Israeli and Palestinian interests in Ireland have agreed to attend a special meeting of the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee, tomorrow (22nd) at 12:45 pm in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House.
Dr Zion Evrony (3:30pm), Israeli Ambassador to Ireland and Dr Hikmat Ajjuri (2:30pm), General Delegation of Palestine will both be witnesses at tomorrow’s meeting. In addition, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin TD (4:30pm) and Desmond Travers (12:45pm), co-author of the Gladstone report which gave an account of the Gaza war of 2008/9, will attend the hearing to speak to the motion
The meeting will discuss the Committee's motions on the situation in Gaza and the EU/Israel Euro Mediterranean Association Agreement 1995, in particular Article 2 concerning the parties’ human rights obligations.
The meeting will consider the EU Israel Association Agreement and whether Israel’s recent actions have breached their human rights obligations under this agreement. In this respect, it will also analyse the present circumstances in Gaza, including the effects the easing of the Israeli blockade is likely to have, as well as the conduct of the Gaza war in 2008/2009.
Committee Chairman, Bernard Durkan TD said;
“We are anxious to hear more details of the Israeli government’s decision to alleviate the blockade on Gaza and what this is likely to mean for its inhabitants.
We are also very keen to discuss Israel’s responsibilities under the EU Israel Association Agreement and examine if Israel has broken the terms of the deal.
The meeting will allow the Committee to consider if this arrangement has been properly honoured and if it should be altered."
The EU Israel Association Agreement incorporates free trade arrangements for industrial goods, concessionary arrangements for trade in agricultural products, and opens up the prospect for greater liberalisation of trade in services, and farm goods between Israel and the EU.
The committee will also be meeting with Ms. Anne Herzberg on 23rd June at 12:30 pm.
The Committee can be viewed on line at: http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/livewebcast/Web-Live.htm&CatID=83&m=o
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