COMMENTS MADE BY the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland accusing President Michael D Higgins of making “misinformed comments” about Israel are “unhelpful”, according to Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney.
During a visit to Rome last week, President Higgins addressed the conflict between Israel and Hamas stating:
“To announce in advance that you will break international law and to do so on an innocent population, it reduces all the code that was there from second world war on protection of civilians and it reduces it to tatters,” said the president.
In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich said the president was misinformed in his remarks.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics that the ambassador’s comments are a “serious matter”, stating that Erlich’s position here in Ireland is “under question.”
Asked for his reaction on the ambassador’ comment, Coveney told RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Programme today:
“I don’t think that’s helpful. You know, President Michael D Higgins is somebody who for many years has taken an interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And he, like many others in Ireland, are deeply concerned about what is currently unfolding in Gaza.
“I’ve been to Gaza on numerous occasions as a foreign minister. I was one of the most vocal foreign ministers in the European Union on the Palestinian issue for many years. I also have a good relationship I hope with Israel. But, you know, I don’t think it’s helpful when an ambassador starts to make pointed comments in relation to our president,” he said.
Coveney said the president is reflecting the view of many in Ireland, adding that it is the Irish government’s position that it “unreservedly condemns the atrocity that Hamas is responsible for in terms of the killing of 1400 innocent Israelis”.
“But we are also deeply concerned about what continues to unfold in terms of human suffering in Gaza. We want a ceasefire and we want humanitarian aid corridors open. Ireland will continue to advocate for that at the European level and at the UN level,” said the minister.
The minister said he didn’t agree with any suggestion that the Israeli ambassador should be expelled.
“I think we need to open lines of communication with the Israeli government through their ambassador here. That’s how diplomacy works. And we need to continue to talk to the Israeli Government, even if we disagree with them at times, just like we need to continue to speak to the Palestinian ambassador in Dublin.
“So I don’t believe that when you disagree with a country that you are quick to call for the expulsion of ambassadors. I just don’t think that’s how international diplomacy should work,” he concluded.
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