'Outrageous' to hold conference on two-state solution without Palestinian Authority representatives

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas had hoped to attend the meeting but the United States revoked his visa last month

Simon Harris said it was "outrageous" that the conference would not have Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas or his government represented. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The Tánaiste has hit out at the holding of a UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, which will go ahead without representatives from the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas had hoped to attend a meeting this week, called for by France and Saudi Arabia and aimed at advancing a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, the United States revoked his visa last month.

The UN told Mr Abbas he can address its annual meeting of world leaders by video. It comes as France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia on Sunday recognised a Palestinian state.

Speaking in New York on Sunday, Mr Harris said it was "outrageous" that the conference would not have Mr Abbas or his government represented.

"I think it is absolutely outrageous that [the United Nations General Assembly High-Level International Conference] is taking place, that there is a specific high-level conference on a two-state solution, and the Palestinian Authority aren't allowed to attend. 

"I think it is an extraordinarily dangerous precedent that the president of the Palestinian Authority, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, and the government of the Palestinian Authority have been blocked from attending the UN. That is a concern in relation to what's happening in the here and now regarding Palestine. 

"But it's also a dangerous precedent now, if people can decide who can and can't come to the United Nations."

Mr Harris said he hoped to use this UN High-Level Week to see if there is now a majority of European Union states willing to back sanctions laid out by the bloc last week. The EU has laid out its toughest plan yet to pressure Israel to end its war in Gaza as Palestinians fled from Israeli tanks, drones and troops pushing deeper into the coastal enclave ravaged by 23 months of war.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged the 27 member nations to increase tariffs on some Israeli goods and impose sanctions on Israeli settlers, and two members of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet — national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich.

She also proposed sanctioning 10 Hamas leaders.

Mr Harris said he believed that the EU's preferential trading treatment of Israel represents a "considerable flex" which European countries could use to urge Israel to end its war.

Mr Harris said that while he wanted to see US president Donald Trump use his office to move Mr Netanyahu on the issue of Gaza, it was lazy to believe that nothing could be done without the US.