TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has insisted he will not shy away from speaking Ireland’s “truth” to US President Joe Biden over US support for Israel.
Harris will meet Biden at the White House next week for an event to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States.
The US was the first country to recognise Ireland’s place among the nations of the world, on 7 October 1924.
Last month, Harris accepted an invitation to Washington.
This visit will be Harris’s first to the White House as Taoiseach and his first meeting with Biden.
Harris said today the recent escalation of hostilities in the Middle East with Israeli incursions into Lebanon and Iran’s missile attacks on Israel marked a “really dangerous moment”.
“The beauty of Irish foreign policy is its consistency,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin, the Taoiseach was asked whether he would be prepared to raise concerns about the US administration’s ongoing support for Israel, particularly in relation to providing arms for Israeli forces.
Harris insisted Ireland’s foreign policy was consistent, as he made clear the Government’s condemnation of Iran’s missile launch and also Israel’s ongoing actions in Lebanon and Gaza.
“The beauty of Irish foreign policy is its consistency. No matter who carries out the offence, whether you’re a big country, whether you’re a small country, we have a consistent approach towards de-escalation, ceasefire, dialogue, peace and respect for the UN and international courts.
“And that’s what I say to every counterpart and leader I meet,” said Harris.
The Taoiseach rejected any suggestion he would be “cosying up” to President Biden in the White House.
He said he was somewhat perplexed by that position asking: ” So, should I not go, is that the view?”
“So Ireland and the United States of America have 100 years of diplomatic relations,” he said, adding:
We speak the truth. We speak up for our foreign policy
He said there are “great friendships between Ireland and America that run beyond any individual, including me”.
“There are people getting out of bed this morning and going to work in companies where those jobs have been created by companies in the United States of America and vice versa. Our countries have great, proud diplomatic links.
“I’m proud of the diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States of America, and I believe the overwhelming majority of people in this country are too. I’m also proud of the tradition of taoisigh and presidents being able to engage on issues too.
“But you also speak the truth to your friends. And Ireland’s never afraid to speak our view. And I’m not afraid of that either. We speak the truth. We speak up for our foreign policy.
“We have an independent foreign policy, and our independent foreign policy is very clear in relation to what should happen in the Middle East,” said the Taoiseach.
Harris said he had “absolutely no doubt” that President Biden was trying to bring about a ceasefire.
“So all of us – big countries, small countries, Europe, the United States – need to now say ‘what more can we do to bring the world back from the brink?’” said Harris.
The Taoiseach said he had absolutely no doubt that the US administration, led through the efforts of secretary of state Antony Blinken, are working to find a ceasefire.
He added that it is an “extraordinarily dangerous moment”, stating that Ireland will continue to engage with the United States on the matter.
“Of course, we’re proud of the diplomatic links between the United States and Ireland, but we can also have, and do have, our own independent foreign policy, which we articulate at every possible opportunity.”
Earlier in the year, significant pressure was put on former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to raise concerns about Gaza and the US support for Israel through the delivery of arms.
At the time, Varadkar said the St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House was an opportunity to put forward the Irish people’s perspective on the conflict in Gaza.
“We’re certainly not going to start with uncomfortable truths,” he said.
Varadkar raised the issue of Gaza in the Oval Office meeting, but the Taoiseach was quick to tell the media afterwards that Biden made it clear to him that the US would continue to supply weapons to Israel.
Varadkar also delivered a hard-hitting speech during the Shamrock Ceremony in the White House on the issue telling Biden that the Palestinians have a similar story to our own – one of displacement, of dispossession, national identity being denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now hunger.
The March visit was the subject of much criticism, as some politicians called on then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to boycott the White House over the United States’ response to the war in Gaza.
Since 7 October last year, the US has supplied Israel with more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of missiles.
Just last month, the US signed a $20bn dollar weapons deal with Israel, which included fighter jets and other military.
With reporting by Diarmuid Pepper and Press Association
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