TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS is set to meet with President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas today for the first time since Ireland formally recognised the state of Palestine in May.

World leaders are in New York this week at the United Nations headquarters, where Israel’s war on Gaza and the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon are major concerns – though Harris says there is still not enough being done internationally to push for a ceasefire.

Israel inflicted a day of fatal violence on Lebanon yesterday as it struck more than 1,300 sites, killing 492 people – including 35 children and 58 women – and injuring 1,645 others. At the same time, it continues to land strikes on Gaza, where more than 41,000 people have been killed since last October.

In their meeting today, Harris and Abbas are expected to discuss efforts for a ceasefire and for the release Israeli hostages, as well as the urgent need for aid deliveries to Gaza.

The Taoiseach is also due to have bilateral meetings with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Jordan’s King Abdullah.

Harris has said that the conflict in Lebanon over the last week marks the opening of a “potentially catastrophic second front in terms of the war in the Middle East”.

“The pattern of slighting international law and disregard for rules of engagement in terms of protecting civilians is yet again being completely and utterly disregarded,” he said, speaking to CNN.

He confirmed that Ireland’s peacekeepers in Lebanon are safe but that he is deeply concerned about the civilians who do not have the ability to defend themselves.

“We should be here at the United Nations this week talking about de-escalation, and instead we’re going to be meeting at the UN General Assembly against the backdrop of escalation,” he said.

"We cannot have a situation where international law must be applied to some but can be disregarded by others" @SimonHarrisTD tells me. "In our history we know what it's like to struggle for statehood... we felt it was important to say to the people of Palestine, we see you". pic.twitter.com/fHsWw8d9wr

— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) September 23, 2024

The Taoiseach insisted that world leaders “need to ask ourselves about the consistent application of the rule of law and of international law – we cannot have a situation where international law be applied to some but can be disregarded by others”.

“Israel, of course, has a right to live in security and safety. Of course, Israel has a right to defend itself. Of course, Israel has a right to address any terrorist attack that it experiences. But that is not what we are seeing now,” the Taoiseach said.

What we’re actually seeing is a blatant disregard for international law, no consideration in terms of protection of civilians and yet again, children finding themselves caught up in the midst of conflict.

Asked about Ireland’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, Harris said: “Ireland doesn’t define itself as pro- or anti- any one country. Ireland defines itself as pro-international law, pro-human rights and pro-peace, and that is the approach we take.

In our history we know what it’s like to want the world to see you. We know what it’s like to struggle for statehood, and therefore we felt it was very important at a time when others were trying to quash any glimmer of a two-state solution to actually say to the people of Palestine: We see you. We hear you. We will not forget you.

“We can differentiate very clearly between Hamas, a brutal, horrific terrorist organisation that offers no hope of a future to the people of Palestine and the people of Palestine who aspire for the basic things we all aspire for – for freedom, for democracy. We want to see two states, Israel and Palestine living peacefully side by side,” he said.

“That’s why we did it. We’re not a military power, but we do have an ability, I believe, on the international stage to say no, hang on a second – if you believe in a two state solution, the recognition of the existence of two states is an important place to start.”

The Taoiseach said that the world is “not doing enough” to pursue peace as a new front is opened along the Lebanon-Israel border and violence continues in Gaza. “We’ve got to be really truthful about this.”

He said that many people are working hard to bring about a ceasefire, but that “we’ve got to be honest – you can try your best and it can still be ineffective”.

“The reality of the situation at the moment is Netanyahu, for whatever reason, has calculated that he can continue in terms of the violence, in terms of the brutality, in terms of the loss of civilian life. We as a world have to do something to change that calculation.

He said the UN need to “dig deep to see what levers are at the disposal of the world to change that calculation so that Benjamin Netanyahu realises and Hamas realises that a ceasefire must actually be brought about, and I don’t think we’ve done enough in that space, being very honest”.