Micheál Martin criticises EU for failing to pressure 'increasingly extreme' Israel government

Taoiseach addresses European Parliament on Tuesday amid criticism over presidency programme and for 'embracing the militarisation agenda'

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Taoiseach Micheál Martin at UCC as Ireland began its EU presidency last week. File picture

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has criticised the EU for its failure to place further pressure on an “increasingly extreme” Israeli government.

Mr Martin told MEPs in Strasbourg on Tuesday that there is a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, while further settler violence takes place in the West Bank.

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The situation in the West Bank is deteriorating. The behaviour of the Netanyahu government is increasingly extreme,” Mr Martin said at the European Parliament.

“There are no democratic or humanitarian values which are flexible enough to justify the scale of death, destruction, and displacement we have seen.” 

The Taoiseach said it was a “deep and justified sadness” to many Europeans that the EU had not placed more pressure on the Israeli government.

“I fully respect and understand that this is a difficult topic for many countries and is challenging many long-established connections and policies,” Mr Martin said.

“But we simply must do more.” 

Mr Martin’s comments were backed by the president of the Socialist and Democrats group in the parliament, Iratxe Garcia, who called for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and criticised Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The Taoiseach said Ireland's EU presidency would promote “active diplomatic engagement” to support a lasting peace in the Middle East, reaffirming the EU’s commitment to a two-state solution.

Priorities for EU presidency

Mr Martin is attending the European Parliament on Tuesday to outline the priorities for Ireland’s EU presidency over the next six months.

The Taoiseach said the Government’s three priorities would be competitiveness, security, and values, adding that the EU needed to “invest in all dimensions of its own security and rapidly develop its defence capabilities”.

He said the Government would work on the new European security strategy to ensure the EU could “respond dynamically” to geopolitical challenges.

“We will not be safe unless we address critical capability gaps. We will support deep collaboration to build European resilience, particularly in the face of sophisticated hybrid threats, and to advance our maritime and cybersecurity,” Mr Martin said.

Mr Martin said that further political, financial, military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine required further pressure on Russia to end the “cruel and morally indefensible war”.

He said the Government would work to agree “tighter and stronger sanctions”, as pressure ramps up on the Coalition over the Aughinish Alumina plant in Limerick.

Responding to Mr Martin, Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan criticised the Government over its presidency programme, saying Ireland’s legacy on peacebuilding was missing.

“Instead, Taoiseach, we see you embracing the militarisation agenda against the wishes of the Irish people and launching a full-scale attack on their neutrality,” Ms Boylan said.

She added that she had concerns about the deregulation agenda, saying it would give “billionaires more freedom to destroy our planet”.

 Ms Garcia questioned Mr Martin about what kind of Europe he wanted to see, citing a visit to Ireland where she visited Gardiner Street in Dublin, where 10% of the homeless population live.

Ms Garcia called for the Government to progress an EU affordable housing act.

European People’s Party president Manfred Weber called for the Government to prioritise protecting children during its EU presidency.