Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD has written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney calling on the government to welcome and support the recent conference held in Ramallah and Beirut involving all the main Palestinian political forces aimed at bringing about a new unified initiative. 

She said:

“I have written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister asking that the Irish government acknowledge, welcome and support the recent significant and major development in Palestine which has brought together all the main Palestinian forces and political parties in a unified approach to their plight. 

“Sinn Féin believes this offers the greatest potential to bring about a comprehensive peace agreement in the region based on the legitimate national and human rights of all Palestinians.

“I have also called on the Irish government to recognise the State of Palestine, and to use its position and influence in the European Council to: 

• Call for an end to the siege of Gaza;
• Propose that sanctions be imposed on the Israeli government in the event of the annexation of large parts of Palestinian land, and;
• Demand that Israel ends the expansion of illegal settlements and the ongoing occupation of Palestine.

“The people of Palestine need international support. They also need international action. Ongoing Israeli violations of international law and universal rights conventions must be exposed, condemned and effectively responded to.

“The Irish government should play a positive role in this process, ensuring a permanent, credible and just peace is created in the Middle East.”