US PRESIDENT JOE Biden’s heart is “in the right place” in relation to the conflict in Gaza, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.
The Taoiseach is in the US this week for St Patrick’s Day and will participate in a number of engagements, including meetings with Biden.
When asked by reporters last night if this year’s White House visit will be tricky due to the US administration’s position on the Middle East situation, Varadkar said it’s a “new aspect” to these engagements.
“Obviously, in Gaza its catastrophic and a great concern,” Varadkar said.
“I have to say, I believe President Biden’s heart is in the right place here,” he said.
“I know he’s working with Egypt, with Qatar, with Saudi and other countries in the region, the Jordanians, to try and get Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire,” the Taoiseach added.
He said he is “keen to hear” from Biden on “what his perspective is”.
Varadkar said he is also keen to “put across the very strong view of the Irish people that there should be an immediate ceasefire, so the hostages can be released, so that medicine and food that’s desperately needed can get into Gaza”.
“But what we need beyond that is a pathway towards a just and lasting peace.”
The Taoiseach said there is “no military solution” to the conflict in Gaza, adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “absolutely wrong about that”.
“But there is a possibility of a peace process and perhaps we can bring a little bit of our experience in Ireland to bear and I’ll be talking about that too,” he said.
Addressing the crowd at the Ireland Funds national gala last night, Varadkar said Palestinian civilians are being subject to “humiliation and starvation” during the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“We, as Europeans and Americans that are at least in some part responsible for the troubles in the region, have a duty to do all that we can to bring peace and justice to the Holy Land,” the Taoiseach said.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald defended the party’s attendance at US events, amid calls for Irish politicians to boycott the Washington trip over Gaza.
McDonald told reporters at the black-tie, $1,000-per-ticket gala that she would “talk to the devil himself” to bring about ceasefire.
“I feel a huge sense of responsibility to do everything that I possibly can to bring about ceasefire, to advocate for the people of Palestine,” she said.
Zak Hania is an Irish citizen and has been stuck in Gaza since the latest conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas broke out after the 7 October attacks last year.
Hania’s wife, Batoul, and four children managed to leave Gaza after the Irish Embassy in Cairo, Egypt were able to guarantee their safe passage out of the region last year, but Zak was denied exit.
Batoul last week issued a plea to the Irish Government to help her husband escape the conflict-torn region, as concerns were mounting, globally, over the provision of humanitarian and medical aid being allowed to enter Gaza.
Varadkar yesterday said the evacuation of Hania is “certainly on the list” of topics he will discuss with Biden later this week, if there’s time to.
“I’m sure you can appreciate there are maybe hundreds of requests and things to raise with President Biden and I won’t be able to raise them all, but that’s certainly on the list of things I will try to raise, if there is time,” he said.
With reporting by Christina Finn and Press Association
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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