EU and West Bank settlements

Sir, – I'd like to congratulate the Department of Foreign Affairs for sending a clear message to Israel that their recent expropriation law and continuing settlement building activity is unacceptable in terms of the behavioural norms expected by the European Union ("EU cancels meeting as Israel legalises settlements on private Palestinian land", February 7th).

Ireland supporting the cancellation of upcoming talks to upgrade EU-Israeli relations is a strong rejection of increasingly anti-democratic and racist rhetoric now common in Israeli society.

Maintaining normal diplomatic relations with states with such objectionable policies risks the credibility of the European project and would worsen the current existential crisis facing the European Union. – Yours, etc,

RONAN DESMOND,

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Drumcondra,

Dublin 3.