Minister Martins Gaza visit can kick start push for peace in the region

Posted by Bronwen Maher on February 25, 2010 at 12:12 PM

Labour MEP Nessa Childers, who was the most recent senior Irish politician to be allowed access to Gaza has said that Minister Micheál Martin’s visit to Gaza can help to “kick-start talks on a peace settlement in the region.”

The MEP who visited Gaza last month with a group of politicians from 13 separate countries said: “Having been to Gaza in January where I met with elected members of Hamas including disputed Prime Minister of the Palestinian government Ismail Haniva, I remain convinced that the EU and Ireland in particular can play an enormously positive role acting as a persuader and facilitator in assisting moves towards a peaceful and just settlement of the Palestinian question.

“Minister Martin’s visit to Gaza is to be welcomed, as is his engagement with the head of the Arab League Amr Moussa and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit whom I also met on my visit to the region last month.

“This is the first time an EU Minister for Foreign Affairs has been allowed entry to Gaza since a visit by Minister Martin’s Swedish counterpart one year ago, after the end of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead which claimed the lives of 1,400 Palestinians.

“I believe that the Minister for Foreign Affairs visit has the potential to help provide an impetus from the EU to use its position on the world stage to help kick-start the stalled Middle East peace negotiations and I wish him well in his efforts.”

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