Israel's actions in Gaza 'approaching revenge', not self-defence, says Taoiseach

A child cries in pain, lying on a stretcher at Nasser Hospital, as people carry severely wounded Palestinians to ambulances to be transferred to Egypt for treatment in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Picture: Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said Israeli attacks on Gaza “resembles something more approaching revenge” rather than self-defence.

Speaking in Seoul, South Korea during a trade mission to the country, Mr Varadkar could not say whether Ireland was a friend or ally to Israel.

He also said he has received a briefing from the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding reports of an Irish citizen being held hostage by Hamas. He described it as a “sensitive issue” and said he is not in a position to get into individual cases.

“I have to respect the wishes and concerns of the people involved and these are very sensitive issues,” he said.

Iranian news agency Nour News reported that Tánaiste Micheál Martin had asked his Iranian counterpart earlier this week to assist with freeing an Irish hostage believed to be held captive in Gaza. However, spokespeople for Mr Martin have declined to confirm if this formed part of a discussion during a phone call in recent days.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Mr Varadkar said Ireland is doing what it can in a constructive way regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. He said Ireland has been calling for a humanitarian ceasefire so violence stops and no more children are killed. However, he said he does not think Israeli forces would be listening to Ireland’s call and only listens to its allies such as the US.

He said although Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, what is unfolding is different.

He said: “I hope they [Israel] will listen, I think it’s very important.

“We never forget where this started, this phase of the conflict started with a Hamas attack in Israel, where 1,400 civilians were killed including one person who is a dual Israeli-Irish citizen.

“I strongly believe that like any State, Israel has the right to defend itself, has the right to go after Hamas so that they cannot do this again.

“But what I'm seeing unfolding at the moment, isn't just self-defence. It looks, resembles something more approaching revenge and that's not where we should be. And I don't think that's how Israel will guarantee its future freedom and its future security.” 

Israeli army self-propelled artillery howitzers move in a convoy with other vehicles along a road by the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. Picture: Jack Guez / AFP

Mr Varadkar said it is not for him to determine whether attacks carried out by Israeli forces are war crimes when asked about the attacks at a refugee camp in Gaza.

Mr Varadkar said the reality of the situation is Israel will listen to countries it considers to be friends with and this will not stop Ireland from taking the position it has at EU and UN level adding Ireland has also increased its humanitarian aid for Palestine.

When asked if he was suggesting Ireland is not a friend or ally of Israel, the Taoiseach said he was not saying that but “given what's been said by Israeli authorities, they wouldn't consider us to be close friends and allies in the way they'd consider the US to be or the UK or Germany for example.” 

When pressed further on whether he would consider Ireland a close friend to Israel, he said: “It's a State that we have relations with. But I don't think we're as close as we might have been, or perhaps could be because we do take a different position than most Western countries on Palestine and what's happening at the moment."

Separately Mr Varadkar said Sinn Fein’s foreign policy would weaken Ireland’s influence in the world. He said the main Opposition party would risk falling out with the US over issues like Cuba and Venezuela and perhaps their stance in the Middle East.

He added Sinn Féin would fall out with Spain “over their support for separatism.”

He said: “They have been very critical of the European Union and its institutions not just historically but also recently. So for a small country that needs to have good relations with the US, with the UK, with the European Union, with other member states, I think it is the case that Sinn Féin would weaken and damage our relations with lots of different other countries and that would have economic consequences, for a start would reduce our influence in the world and certainly would do nothing to help people like the Palestinians, for example."