Fine Gael calls for sanctions against Israel

Fine Gael has called on the Government to impose trade sanctions on Israel if it fails to meet international demands to withdraw from Palestinian territories.

Mr Jim O’Keeffe, the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, accused the Government of "doing little or nothing" to support the Palestinians in the face of Israeli attack.

He said that his earlier calls for action to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, had met with refusal.

Mr Cowen told the Dáil last month that there was "very little realistic prospect of introducing trade sanctions or similar measures", as the European Union was currently engaged in intensive rounds of peace talks with both sides in the conflict.

However, an EU delegation that was refused access to the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at his beseiged complex in Ramallah left last week.

A European Commission statement later described the Israeli government’s actions as "unacceptable".

The European Parliament is debating a resolution on an EU response to Israel this evening for a vote tomorrow.

Mr Mitchell said this afternoon that as a result of Israel’s intransigence, the Government should "at the very least" support EC President Romano Prodi, who warned of possible trade sanctions.

The EU accounts for around 40 per cent of Israeli international trade.