West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Adams to prepare report on Middle East

Published: 11 April, 2009

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP MLA returned to Ireland late on Saturday evening after four days in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

Mr. Adams now plans to prepare a report for Senator George Mitchell, for the US, British and Irish governments and others with and interest in and influence over the situation in that region.

On the final day of his visit on Friday Mr. Adams visited Ramallah where he met with the Palestinian Authority. Later he travelled to Bethlehem where he visited Al Duhasha, a Palestinian refugee camp. In the evening he held discussions with members of the PLO Executive, including Rafiq Husseini, President Mahmoud Abbas's Chief of Staff, and Dr As'ad Abdul Rahman of the PLO Executive.

Speaking on his return to Ireland Mr. Adams said:

''I welcomed the opportunity on Friday to meet the Palestinian government and to listen to its assessment of the political situation, in particular the current discussions under way in Cairo between the various Palestinian groups and the imminent arrival of George Mitchell.''

Commenting on the four day visit Mr. Adams said:

''I left the region even more convinced that a process of dialogue between all of the participants is essential for progress.

''Democratic mandates must be respected and in any negotiation process there must be clear objectives set, within a fixed timeframe, if there is to be confidence that any new round of negotiations will be real.

''I believe that only a two state solution which provides for the security and prosperity of Palestinians and Israelis, as well as national rights for Palestinians, can deliver a durable peace settlement.

''The response of the International Community over many years to the political and humanitarian crisis in this region, and in particular to the plight of the Palestinian people, has been shameful.

''With George Mitchell traveling to the Middle East early next week there is a new opportunity opening up which must be grasped. But as that new initiative takes shape the siege of Gaza should end immediately; all armed actions should cease and the reconstruction of Gaza, which the Israeli blockade is preventing, should begin.

''I intend to submit a report of my visit to Senator Mitchell and to the Irish, British and US Governments and others with an interest in and influence eon the situation there.

''11 years ago on Friday the Good Friday Agreement was achieved. Many of those I have spoken to in recent days in the Middle East clearly take hope from that achievement.

''With political will it can be done in the Middle East also.''