Martin rules out sanctions on Israel

THE Minister for Foreign Affairs has ruled out pushing for sanctions against Israel and also warned against Irish citizens joining up with any future Gaza-bound aid flotilla led by Israel’s enemies.

During a marathon debate on EU agreements with Israel and human rights abuses against Palestinians, Micheál Martin yesterday told TDs that he wanted to leave a door open with Tel Aviv for discussions.

Israeli ambassador Zion Evrony also attended the lengthy Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs hearing and claimed that in fighting extremist Palestinians his country was fighting Europe’s war against terrorism.

TDs discussed how alleged human rights abuses could have breached the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a political and trade pact between the union and the southern Mediterranean nation.

Mr Martin said Ireland remained opposed to upgrading the EU pact with Israel, as it had after the country’s military offensive against Gaza in late 2008.

But “it is quite clear to me that our influence in Israel would be lessened and our voice weakened if we were to advocate, futilely as I have pointed out, a policy of bans or boycotts”.

Asked his opinion on Irish peace activists joining future Iranian or Lebanese-led aid flotillas to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza, Mr Martin said such a move could be “very dangerous”.

“I would be very fearful for the safety of Irish citizens,” he warned.

An Irish humanitarian Gaza-bound aid ship, the Rachel Corrie, was detained last month after Israeli commandos earlier stormed similar vessels and killed nine activists.

Mr Martin said he hoped an easing of the three-year blockade on the Palestinian enclave, recently announced by Israel, would proceed in the coming days and help ease the plight of the war-torn territory.

Earlier, the Israeli ambassador told the committee that it was wrong to compare the North’s peace process with that of the Middle East conflict.

There were hugely “different historical, geopolitical and cultural circumstances,” said Dr Zion Evrony, adding:

“The ideology of Hamas is defined in absolutist religious terms, that of a radical version of Islam, which is not open to influence or change.”