TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has stopped short of stating that he will directly call on US President Joe Biden to halt the supply of arms to Israel.
Harris will meet with the US President in the Oval Office later today. Biden is also expected to hold a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this afternoon.
Speaking to reporters this morning in Washington DC ahead of his White House visit, Harris was repeatedly asked if he will directly call on Biden to stop sending arms to Israel.
While Harris said he would be raising his concerns about what is happening in Gaza, the Taoiseach said it is up to each individual country what action they can take to de-escalate the situation.
Harris responded to questions on the issue, stating:
It’s up to every country to decide what they wish to do. I don’t set the foreign policy of any other country.
“But I’m very clear on our foreign policy. And our foreign policy is of the view that the world is not doing enough, that everybody needs to use every lever at their disposal, that includes the supply of arms, of course it does, but it’s up to every individual country to decide its own foreign policy.”
He said Ireland has consistently used its voice in relation to the situation in Palestine and will continue to do so.
“But we’ve also got to be conscious of the fact that everybody sets their own their own foreign policy, makes their own decisions,” Harris added.
In March, when Leo Varadkar met with Biden to mark St Patrick’s Day, the former Taoiseach said the US President made it very clear to him that they would continue to supply weapons to Israel.
The question around the supply of arms by the US was also posed to Harris while he was in New York last month for UN Week, where he again took a cautious approach to answering the question.
However, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin took a stronger position, stating that the flow of weapons should stop.
When asked if an appeal should be made to the US to stop the flow of weapons, he said:
“Well I have said that already. The flow of weaponry is obviously an issue in terms of Israel’s position in terms of continuing the war,” Martin said at the time.
Harris was asked on five occasions by reporters this morning if he will call for the US to stop supplying weapons to Israel.
Harris failed to give a clear, definitive answer, only stating that in his conversation with President Biden, he will repeat what he says to all world leaders that he meets, by telling the president that that the world has failed in its efforts to bring about a ceasefire.
“It’s for the United States to determine what more it can do. Ireland’s foreign policy is proudly independent, like we are. We are an independent nation… we can have an independent foreign policy. We don’t have to align or agree on every single issue.
“I’m crystal clear on the position of the government that I lead, and on the position of the people of Ireland in terms of a view that more must be done. And of course, that will be the overriding sentiment,” he said.
When asked by The Journal if he will voice his objection to any suggestion that the US will continue to arm Israel, Harris replied:
“If anybody is doing anything that is continuing to aid more, that is not consistent with the Irish position, but President Biden understands the Irish position. I’ve spoken to him about it directly twice.
“The Irish position is no secret, because when you have a clear and consistent foreign policy, you say the same things in private, as you say in public, but it’s a matter for every individual country to decide what it wishes to do, and I think we need to be conscious of that fact,” he added.
Harris said he will outline to President Biden his view in relation to the Middle East and the position of the Irish people and making the point “that everybody needs to ask, what more can they do to bring about a ceasefire?”
“I’ll be making the point because I make it consistently, that the efforts of the world to date to bring about a ceasefire have been ineffective. And therefore, I think it’s up to every country, including the United States of America, to dig deep and see what more can they do. It’s for the President of the President of the United States of America to decide the foreign policy of his country.
“But I’m very clear on this, that the world is not doing enough, and no country in the world is doing enough to help bring about a ceasefire. And when people look back at this time in history, it will be a moment of shame of the world that more is not done to stop the war,” said the Taoiseach, adding:
I don’t believe the European Union is doing enough. I think the United States can do more. I think the world in general has failed the children of Gaza.
“I speak honestly in relation with friends in relation to this, and I’m conscious of the fact that the President of the United States will be speaking to the Prime Minister of Israel. And I really hope we’re getting to a moment where people can actually do more in relation to this,” said Harris.
The Taoiseach said Ireland is “always honest with friends” stating that he does consider the United States of America to be a friend.
He said he has absolutely no doubt that President Biden wants to see a ceasefire called.
“He has said that so many times. He said it to me as recently as Monday on the phone,” said Harris.
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