Talk on the Palestinian Conflict
by Ambassador to Ireland

Palestinian conflic. = complicated situtation
No political solution.

Collapse of Camp David talks
Clinton - failure of meeting.

Israeli crackdown.
Israel demanded compromise from Palestine.

Politics = compromise
Arafat did not loose any opportunity Sharon coming to power
- w/o political program in hand
(Didn't offer pal's a platform to discuss agreement- believed that he could pressure pals to accept what offered to Barach)

Never believed in political solution to conflict
Military: Has not brought any peace. Attack often counter attack.
Couldn't offer anything more than his predecessors. Eg. Jerusalam issue.

East-Jerusalam occupied in 1967.

Cannot be exclusively Jewish (Pal)
Arafat will not accept this.

Bush left Pal's and Israeli's fighting e/o

Cannot allow Isralei's to control Palestine.
Arafat first pal PM to recognise State of Israel
Geo change of West Bank and Gaza = by Israelis is stronger militaryily.

Israeli's programmed to support Israel.

We don't see how Palestinians are really being treated.

To prevent terrorism:
genuine peace needed,
No Barriers,
No New Borders.

To prevent Pal terrorists entering Isreal:
why not build walls on own borders?
Why build walls in someone's house?
Just encouraging them to find ways of getting into Israel - Counter productive.

U.S. only power in world nowadays

Jump from Arafat to Iraq:
Today 140 people killed in Kabullah.

Christians in Arab world are culturally like Muslims
No anti-semitism in Israel - Arab World.

Future:
Right of palestinian's to own poltical entity - sovereign state.
7-8 million Palestinians will not accept living as refugees.

Irish cement company has 25% shares in company which is providing cement to build 760km wall in West Bank.
Who is helping who?

Pal Police - no uniforms, cannot carry guns!

Kevin Meyers, Irish times - Racist writing today towards Palestinians and Israli's