The eight-metre high wall traverses the West Bank countryside in Palestine serving as an unnatural reminder of Israeli apartheid. It is built in a way that isolates a significant amount of Palestinian land and people from the rest of the West Bank territory.

It's not the only stark picture of an apartheid regime. The roofs of Palestinian houses and buildings are topped with black or white water tanks because access to water is restricted. Neighbouring buildings without the water tanks almost certainly belong to illegal settlements where no such water shortage exists.

And the growth of these settlements is relentless. Jewish settlers seize land, establish a base and enjoy the protection of the occupying Israeli Defence Force having evicted the people who, in many cases, have lived there for centuries. In Palestinian East Jerusalem a similar process is underway but, in this case, it is done house by house.

The illegal settlements, effectively stealing land from Palestinians, is a flagrant breach of international law and the Oslo Accords. The fact that this can happen with impunity, and the failure of the government of Israel to prevent it, is an affront to the international community.

Seeing this with one's own eyes stays with you. At the end of June, in my capacity as President, I led the first ICTU high level delegation to Palestine since 2007. I was joined by Vice-President Phil Ní Sheaghdha (INMO), past President Patricia McKeown (UNISON) and Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Murphy.

Of course, there have been many trade union delegations in the meantime, often organised through Trade Union Friends of Palestine (TUFP). And we were pleased to make a small presentation in Bethlehem in memory of the northern secretary of TUFP, Eamonn McMahon, who passed away last year.

Our visit was brief. We travelled overnight there and back spending five busy days on the ground.

One day was spent visiting hospitals. In Bethlehem, this included the Caritas Baby hospital, the Beit Jala government hospital and the Holy Family Maternity hospital which has a strong connection with Irish midwives. In Jerusalem, we toured the Augusta Victoria hospital and met with the representatives of the workers.

Our meeting with the Palestinian trade union federation (PFGTU) was switched from Ramallah from Nablus due to the current level of settler violence taking place there and in Jenin. And we were unable to access Gaza. This was disappointing.

Some of our most informative meetings, both in the West Bank and in Tel Aviv, were with NGOs. We received a good analysis of what was happening including the weakening authority of the traditional leadership in the West Bank. When we met with the deputy foreign Minister Dr. Amal Jadou, who had visited Ireland recently, we were most impressed with her passion and commitment.

We had an informative session with the International Labour Organisation representative and separate meetings with the Irish team in the Representative Office in Ramallah and with the Irish Ambassador to Israel.

It would be easy to despair about the situation. Hope is in short supply. But then you think of the children in the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem who live under the gaze of the watchtowers on top of the separation wall that borders the camp itself and the tremendous work of the Lajee Centre there. Or you reflect on the special bond that exists between Ireland and Palestine and what it means.

 "We see our flag at football matches," a local said to me and I knew it meant a lot.

And you know as a country, we can and should do more. Recognising the State of Palestine would be a good start.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.