TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR is to meet US President Joe Biden today at the White House today.
Varadkar has said he will use the special platform of St Patrick’s Day to press Biden to back a ceasefire in the Middle East.
He has referenced the conflict during speeches in Boston and Washington DC over the last few days.
However, some politicians such as People Before Profit Paul Murphy and Mick Barry argue the Taoiseach has not gone far enough to push the issue.
At the start of the week in Boston, Varadkar told the crowd that “innocent men, women and children” in Gaza should not be subject to collective punishment.
However, speaking to powerfuel US politicians in Washington DC on Wednesday evening, the message was notably more subdued with his comments receiving a lukewarm reception.
In his most recent comments at an an event with president of the US Chamber of Commerce Suzanne Clark and a number of other US business leaders yesterday, Varadkar also mentioned the crisis in the Middle East.
He highlighted the “appalling attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October and the catastrophe that is now unfolding in Gaza”.
“Only a ceasefire and the unconditional release of hostages and massive surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza can create the context for a sustainable political outcome based on a two-state solution based on a just and lasting peace.
“We need to create the conditions for a secure Israel, living side-by-side with a fully fledged Palestinian state, and that is long overdue,” he said.
Overcoming these challenges “is an urgent task for us as political leaders and US business leaders have part to play as well”, he added.
All eyes will be on the Taoiseach today to see how far he goes with the message around Palestine.
Before meeting with Biden, Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett will have breakfast with US Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff. The Taoiseach will then go to Capitol Hill for the annual House Speakers’ Lunch.
While the traditional shamrock ceremony is usually held afterwards in the White House, this year, the event has been pushed to Sunday.
While the Taoiseach has received criticism for going ahead with the Biden meeting, so too have members of Sinn Féin.
First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill made a passing reference to the conflict in Gaza during her address at the Ireland Funds dinner on Wednesday, though Mary Lou McDonald later defended her party’s position to The Journal on the matter.
O’Neill has insisted she would raise the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza with the US President when they meet during St Patrick’s Day engagements over the coming days.
However, O’Neill told the media that the main purpose of her visit to Washington DC was to seek investment for Northern Ireland, though she made it clear she would raise the issue of Gaza in a personal capacity.
“Our priority here in terms of our executive is in terms of the investment piece and about the political engagement,” she said.
“Personally, I will use the opportunity to talk to anybody that I can talk to in terms of the course of this visit to raise the issue of the fact that one of the most successful US foreign policies has been actually the Irish peace process, and their role in that, their constructive role in terms of being a strong partner for peace.
“And I will be urging the president and others to encourage them to take that same approach in terms of the Middle East.
“Because, ultimately, I think what everybody wants to see is a ceasefire and aid to the people and that we get to a political solution and it needs to happen with urgency.”
DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly said that the executive did not have an agreed policy position on Gaza.
However, she said all parties in the administration were clearly in agreement around the need for peace in the Middle East.
“We are here as joint leaders of the executive, the executive doesn’t have a policy on that particular issue, because of course it’s made up of four parties and there will be different party political perspectives,” she said.
“But one thing for absolutely sure is that of course we want peace in the region. We want to see the hostages released, we want to see discussions break out and eventual peace. So, of course, we have a joint view of that.”
Political Editor Christina Finn will be in the US throughout the week for the Taoiseach’s visit. Follow @thejournal_ie and @christinafinn8 for all the latest.
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