Ahern Gaza visit under review

Escalating violence in the Middle East could derail plans by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern to visit Gaza this week…

Escalating violence in the Middle East could derail plans by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern to visit Gaza this week.


Mr Ahern, who travels to the region tomorrow, condemned a suicide bomb attack in a southern Israeli resort town today.

He said: "I am horrified by the news of the suicide bombing in Eilat this morning, in which three people have been killed. I condemn this latest attack without reservation and offer my sincerest condolences to the families of the bereaved.

"I also condemn the terrible violence in recent days in Gaza and the West Bank in which innocent Palestinian civilians have been killed during clashes between armed Palestinian groups."

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Mr Ahern is to meet with families of missing Israeli soldiers during his four-day visit to the Middle East.

The Minister will also hold talks on the peace process in the region with senior political leaders in Israel, Lebanon, Gaza and Egypt.

The Gaza leg of Mr Ahern's visit remains under review this weekend after an escalation in violence in the region. A final decision on whether to instead travel to Ramallah in the West Bank will be made tomorrow morning before the delegation leave Ireland.

Mr Ahern will travel to Egypt on Thursday and will go onto Beirut on Friday.