SINN FEIN LEADER - GERRY ADAM'S - TRIP TO PALESTINE

This photo was taken in September 06 at the 600 kilometre Wall the Israeli government has built in contravention of a 2004 judgment by the International Court of Justice

April 1st 2009
Gerry Adams blog

Next Week I will Visit the Middle East

This blog is an internationalist. I have long been concerned about the plight of people throughout the globe. The conflict in the Middle East has been a long and enduring one. In my time I have raised the situation in that region, and particularly the need for a negotiated peace settlement, with US President Clinton and President Bush as well British PM Tony Blair.

In September 2006 I spent a brief 40 hours in Israel and the Palestinian territory on the west Bank. It was a very informative, exhausting and emotional journey.

I met with Palestinian and Israeli NGOs. I also received a detailed briefing from the Negotiations Affairs Department of the PLO on the 600 kilometre Wall that the Israeli government has built in contravention of a 2004 judgment by the International Court of Justice.

Rafiq Husseini, President Mahmoud Abbas’s Chief of Staff and other senior advisors received us in Ramallah and I spoke to President Abbas by phone.

I also met representatives of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) including representatives from Fatah, the Third Way , Abu Ali Mustafa, the Alternative bloc and Hamas. Later I was taken by Palestinian officials to visit Kalandia refugee camp which was opened in 1949 and is under the control of Israel. It has a population of just over 10,000 many of whom are entirely dependent in emergency food rations.
Conditions in the camp are appalling.

That was two and a half years ago. The Israeli government refused to meet with me at that time though in fairness to them they facilitated the visit and helped to make it run smoothly. Since that time the situation has seriously deteriorated, most clearly in the recent assault on Gaza by Israeli forces which left over 1400 Palestinians dead, mostly civilians. 13 Israelis have also been killed.

My purpose in travelling to the region again is to meet as wide a range of Israeli and Palestinian opinion as practicable.


So next week I will again visit Israel and Ramallah. But this time I will also travel into Gaza and Sderot and Ramallah where I will meet with senior members of the Palestinian Authority.

I again asked for a meeting with the Israeli government or with government officials. But again this has been refused because I will not give a commitment not to speak with Hamas representatives.

I very much regret the Israeli government decision.

As the leader of a party which was censored and demonized and whose members were killed, I see dialogue between all sides as key to building a successful peace process. So I will meet with all sides and urge all sides to end all armed actions and to engage in meaningful dialogue.

I believe there should be a complete cessation of all hostilities and freedom of movement for everyone.

The big challenge is to bring about a settlement on the basis of a two state solution.

This requires a sustainable and durable state for the Palestinian people. They share the region with their Israeli neighbours.

Without doubt the security of the people of Israel is linked inextricably to the rights, freedom and prosperity of the people of Palestine. They can co-exist peacefully together. I am certain about that.

Drawing comparisons between the peace process in Ireland and efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East would be foolhardy. There are similarities but there are also significant differences.

But it is clear that finding solutions will require leadership on both sides, and a willingness to take risks, initiatives, and compromise.

And it will need the international community, and particularly the USA, to play a very positive and active role. In this respect I welcome the appointment of George Mitchell as US Envoy to the Middle East.

So this blog journeys forth in the certainty of hope that political will can move mountains. It can certainly transform political conditions. Despite all the difficulties I am convinced that the conflict in the Middle East can be ended. A solution is possible. Everyone has a duty to do whatever we can, modest though that may be, to assist the process to bring this about.