LAST UPDATE | 9 Oct
A FORMER ADVISOR to the Trump administration said Israel should “drop napalm” over Irish peacekeeping troops in Lebanon, before deleting the post.
Matthew RJ Brodsky previously advised the Trump administration’s Middle East peace team and the White House’s Palestinian-Israeli peace team.
On Sunday, he posted the following comment about Lebanon on X: “Israel should carpet bomb the Irish areas and then drop napalm over it.”
He has since deleted the post.
His X account was live earlier today, but has since been suspended. It’s not yet clear if his account was suspended over this particular tweet.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is in Washington DC for a meeting with US President Joe Biden today. When asked by The Journal about the remark, Harris said it was “the most disgusting thing”.
Harris added that the statement was “entirely inappropriate” and “pretty despicable”.
Our peacekeepers are doing an extraordinary job, and have been for many decades. I think everybody in Ireland is very proud of them.
Harris said it has been a particularly difficult week for Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon – and their families back home – given the recent escalation in violence near their base.
“It was a moment of significant danger, and that danger persists. Families of peacekeepers are understandably concerned and stressed, as any of us would be if our loved one was in Lebanon at the moment.”
Brodsky is a Senior Fellow at the Gold Institute for International Strategy, a think tank based in Washington DC, and a former Director of Policy at the Jewish Policy Center.
He is also currently working as an advisor to two Republicans running for the US Congress in Minnesota, Dalia al-Aqidi in and John Nagel.
Al-Aqidi has distanced herself from Brodsky’s comments, but Nagel is yet to comment.
In a statement released on X, al-Aqidi said Brodsky’s remarks do not reflect her “campaign, policies, or personal beliefs”.
“I stand firmly against all forms of violence,” she added.
I want to clarify that the statement below does not reflect my campaign, policies, or personal beliefs.
— Dalia al-Aqidi (@Dalia4Congress) October 7, 2024
I stand firmly against all forms of violence.
Unfortunately, many are leveraging it to divert attention from the first anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks, an… pic.twitter.com/jdUHXSJ8ao
Brodsky has previously shared posts online that are critical of the Democratic Party, Kamala Harris and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) – the UN peacekeeping mission under which Irish troops serve.
This stupid wretch "studied the maps." Therefore, she supports genocidal terrorists and hates Jews with balls (which doesn't include her asajew husband). https://t.co/dvJxepcBIg
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) October 6, 2024
The Journal has contacted Brodsky for comment, and asked al-Aqidi and Nagel if he is still advising their campaigns.
The UN yesterday confirmed that Israeli troops have left their position near the bases where Irish peacekeepers are stationed in southern Lebanon.
Irish troops have been hunkering down in bases along the Blue Line at the Lebanon-Israel border as part of Unifil.
Earlier today the Irish Defence Forces issued another update, confirming that the Israel Defense Forces “vacated the area surrounding UN Post 6-52, where Irish peacekeepers are stationed”.
“The cessation of activity and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from their positions around the Irish post marks a positive development amidst heightened tensions in the region,” the statement noted.
“The situation around Irish positions remained relatively calm overnight, although clashes between both parties to the conflict persist in other areas of the Irish sector.
“Reports indicate that more intense clashes are occurring in other parts of the Unifil Area of Operations.”
The statement added that Irish peacekeepers will “continue to monitor” the situation, “maintaining an independent and impartial stance”.
With reporting by Christina Finn
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