Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen TD, on the Suicide Bombings in Israel
I have learnt with great regret of the despicable bombing attacks which took place in Israel today and yesterday, once again causing horrific injury and loss of life. This comes after six weeks when no such attacks occurred. These attacks were carried out against the express wishes of the Palestinian Authority and despite its efforts to prevent such attacks and to forge agreement among the Palestinian factions that attacks on Israeli civilians must stop.
These attacks are clearly intended to wreck progress towards restoring the peace process. They must not be allowed to achieve this goal. Efforts to resume political negotiations leading to a peaceful solution must not be interrupted.
At their high-level meeting in New York on 17 September, the UN, the US, the EU and Russia agreed to intensify their efforts to achieve a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement based on their common vision of two States, Israel and an independent, viable and democratic Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. This work will continue.
