Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Matt Carthy TD, has said that Taoiseach wasted the opportunity that his US visit presented to make a substantive intervention on the Israeli Genocide in Palestine and ongoing assault on Lebanon which has put Irish peacekeepers at risk.

Deputy Carthy said that the failure of the Taoiseach to urge the US to stop arming and financing Israel was ‘unforgivable’.

Teachta Carthy said:

“Israel could not sustain its genocidal campaign against the people of Palestine, and its expansion to Lebanon, without the economic and military support of the United States.

“There was an imperative that the Taoiseach would use his visit to the White House to urge the US to stop this support, particularly as the intensification of Israeli aggression has put Irish peacekeepers at risk.

“It is unforgivable that Simon Harris did not utilise this opportunity.

“The Taoiseach’s remarks that it is ‘up to every country to decide what they wish to do’ are inconsistent with his position that Ireland cannot act unilaterally in introducing sanctions against Israel, and must convince other countries to act in unison.

“The government has always had an excuse why they won’t meaningfully sanction Israel, the Taoiseach now has excuses as to why he won’t even meaningfully speak to international partners on the issue.

“The Taoiseach’s visit to the White was an opportunity to make a substantive intervention in a bid to end Israel’s slaughter of innocent men, women and children in Palestine and Lebanon. Simon Harris wasted that opportunity.”