The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, has said any move to expel Mr Yasser Arafat would pose a "most serious threat" to Middle East peace.
"President Arafat is the democratically elected leader of the Palestinian people and should play an important role in the negotiation of a comprehensive peace settlement," Mr Cowen said in a statement.
"Any move to expel him would pose the most serious threat to the peace process," he said.
"The European Union and the United States have both warned Israel about the potential consequences of such a step," he added.