The Palestinian representative to Ireland has said he believes there is a danger that the current upsurge in violence in the Middle East could spread further throughout the region.
Mr Ali Ahmed Halimeh, who is the delegate general of Palestine to Ireland, visited Sligo this week after being invited by a number of local people to give a public lecture on the plight of the Palestinian people.
He said he believed there would be implications if the US decided to attack Iraq.
"The Americans, if they are not careful in handling the Iraq situation, could provoke the entire Middle East into chaos," he said.
He didn't believe any Arab country, not even Kuwait, would justify or give the go-ahead for an attack on Iraq, and said what was needed was for the Iraqi President to respond to the UN and for UN resolutions to be respected by everybody.
Mr Halimeh said that what was happening in the Middle East was a tragedy.
He hoped the Irish Government would increase its influence in Europe and the world so it could help minimise the suffering of Palestinians, "and help both of us, the Israelis and the Palestinians together, so we can live side by side and prosper", he said.
"What we want from Ireland is to increase its political influence through their own relationship with the United States so an international mechanism could be found now to protect the Palestinians from this aggression led by Israel, by Sharon," he added.
He said he knew the Irish Government had discussed the Middle East issue with the US authorities, "but how much they are able to convince the Americans I cannot predict".