Sinn Féin to boycott White House St Patrick's Day celebrations
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald speaking during a press conference at the Alex Hotel in Dublin. Picture: Gareth Chaney/PA Wire
Sinn Féin will not travel to the White House for St Patrick's Day, Mary Lou McDonald has announced.
Ms McDonald and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill, the Sinn Fein vice president, made the announcement on Friday, citing “a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza”.
The party has traditionally joined the Government in the White House for St Patrick's Day events.
Speaking on Friday, Ms McDonald said: “I followed with growing concern what’s happening on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank, and like many other Irish people, have listened in horror to calls from the President of the United States for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and the permanent seizure of Palestinian lands.”
She added: “There is also an onus on us to speak honestly and to act when we believe a US administration is wrong, catastrophically so in the case of Palestine.
“I’ve thought deeply about this issue in recent days, and listen to many voices inside and outside of Sinn Féin.
“I’ve made the decision not to attend the event in the White House this year as a principled stance against the call for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza, something which I believe demands serious dissent and objection.”
However, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has accused Sinn Féin of “doing what it always does” and engaging in politics.
Speaking in Cork, Mr Martin said it was important to retain strong ties with the US.
"First of all, Sinn Féin does what it always does - it engages in politics. I have a responsibility to the country. Indeed, earlier this week we had a meeting with our European colleagues convened by President Macron with Canada, with Norway and with Iceland.
"The very clear message there was the need - not only to continue with - but to double-down on engagement with the US administration both politically and with the President.
"I think that is very important because, first of all, the economic relationship between Europe and the US - and between Ireland and the US - is an extremely important one. It is a very robust one."
He said many Irish companies create thousands of jobs in the US and many US companies create thousands of jobs in Ireland.
"It is a two-way street but it is a very significant relationship."
Mr Martin also spoke of his obligation “to protect the livelihoods of many, many people” in this country.
Earlier this month, Donald Trump said Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for US “ownership” of the war-torn territory.
The comments came after the US president floated his plan for America to take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East”.
Ms McDonald said it is still important for the Taoiseach to attend as he speaks for the people of Ireland.
She said Micheál Martin must use his expected bilateral with US President Donald Trump for St Patrick’s Day to “reflect the view of the Irish people” in support of Palestine.
Ms McDonald pushed back on assertions that her decision not to attend would put Irish jobs at risk, saying that the threat of tariffs faces not just Ireland but Europe and the wider world.
“We also know where important calls have to be made. We face now a direct threat and call from the President of the United States for the mass expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, the annexation of that land.
“That is unconscionable. We believe that Irish political leaders, including An Taoiseach, need to state our firm opposition to that and call it out.”
When asked if she had faith in Mr Martin to sufficiently convey Ireland’s feelings about Mr Trump’s statements on Palestine, Ms McDonald called on him “not to equivocate”.
“I would urge the Taoiseach to be true to us as Irish people and to express accurately, truthfully, honestly the feeling in this country and beyond Ireland on our national day,” Ms McDonald said.
The Sinn Féin leader said she could not put words in Mr Martin’s mouth, but urged him to use the opportunity to raise Palestine.
It would be “unforgivable” for Mr Martin to not be clear with Mr Trump that he should withdraw his threats to expel Palestinians from Gaza.
“Let's all get back on the page of ceasefire, of calm, of stability, of engagement, of international law. Those are the parameters within which all of us have to operate,” Ms McDonald said.
“That’s the way in which we can actually get to a just and lasting settlement. Palestinian self-determination and security, also, for the people of Israel.”
Speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Johannesburg, Tánaiste Simon Harris hit out at Sinn Féin's decision saying it is "harder to show up" and engage with foreign governments.
"Well, it's always easier to just not show up, isn't it? What's actually much more productive is to show up, work hard, and actually engage with people on complex and important issues, and that's exactly what I've been doing here at the G20 as well as during the Munich Security Conference last week; talking to people, talking to partners in the region, talking to countries, explaining the Irish position and advocating for the people of Palestine and advocating for a two-state solution. I think that's exactly what the people of Palestine need right now.
"It's much easier to just stick up a video on Twitter and say you won't show up. It's much harder to actually show up, work and engage."
Mr Harris added that for any politician to give up the opportunity to speak on behalf of the people of Ireland is regrettable, but "really not surprising, with the modus of Sinn Féin these days."
Meanwhile, Ms O’Neill confirmed that she informed her counterpart, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, of her decision not to attend.
She added that it was for Ms Little-Pengelly to decide if she attended any events in the United States and that she would not attempt to stop her from doing so.
“I will continue to engage with the US, both politically and economically, but at times like this, people look towards political leaders to stand against injustice," Ms O’Neill said.
“So in the future, whenever out children and grandchildren ask us what did we do when the Palestinian people endured unimaginable suffering, I can say firmly that I stood on the side of humanity.”
Ms McDonald did confirm that she would have attended the White House had she been Taoiseach.
Pressed on this, Ms McDonald said that the difference was that the St Patrick’s Day events in the White House are “in essence” just bilateral meetings between the US president and the Taoiseach of the day.
“The Taoiseach is the only person who has the opportunity of direct, meaningful dialogue with the President on these occasions.”
Asked if there would be a standing boycott by Sinn Féin of events in the White House while Mr Trump is President, Ms McDonald said that was not the case.
She said that there is a responsibility on the wider international community to insist that threats against Palestine be stood down.
“I hope that progress will be made. I hope that the United States, in time, can prove to apply the same principle position that assisted us here in Ireland. That would become their framework for action and analysis in the Middle East,” Ms McDonald said.
Pressed further on what the party would do if Mr Trump’s policy did not change, Ms McDonald said that her party would take it “one step at a time” but that the threat was unacceptable.
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