Simon Harris, the Taoiseach of Ireland, is set to highlight Ireland’s stance on the urgent intervention needed in the catastrophic events in Gaza when he meets with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday. However, he did not commit to calling for a halt or cessation of US weapon supplies to Israel.
Harris’s two-day official visit to the United States signifies the centennial of diplomatic ties that exist between the two countries. He anticipates that the dominant issues discussed during his visit, specifically within the Oval Office, will concern the crises in the Middle East. Later on the same day, Biden is also expected to engage in a call with Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister.
Harris expressed his hopes for the international community to step forward and take significant actions towards the escalating situation in Gaza. He indicated that not enough has been revealed about the horrifying circumstances in Gaza, which would bring great shame to the world once it comes to light.
He further outlined his intention to discuss his perspective on the Middle East, echoing the sentiments of the people of Ireland, with President Biden, similar to the discussions he had previously with French President, Emmanuel Macron and the European Council. Harris emphasised the necessity for everyone to evaluate what they can further contribute towards the situation.
He acknowledged the right of the US president to decide on his own country’s foreign policy, but reiterated that the world is not acting sufficiently in response to the conflict. Harris warned that future reflections on this era would be marked by disgrace if there were no significant moves to halt the violence.
In the wake of an uproar sparked by Punam Rane, a Dublin councillor representing Fine Gael, who claimed that the ‘Jews, by Israel’ exert control over the entire US economy, the Irish came under scrutiny. Rane’s statement prompted Ronald Lauder, the World Jewish Congress president, to demand that Mr Harris make it clear that anti-Semitism is unacceptable in Ireland.
Mr Harris thoroughly repudiated these comments, labelling them grossly disheartening, highly objectionable, and entirely inappropriate. He pledged a quick and rigorous disciplinary review in response.
Furthermore, he denounced a controversial remark in a recently-erased social media post by Matthew Brodsky, an adviser on peace matters who allegedly guided Congress members and the National Security Council during Trump’s administration. Brodsky suggested that Israeli forces should ‘carpet bomb’ a Lebanon area where Irish peacekeeping troops are stationed. Mr Harris described the remark as abhorrent, highlighting the remarkable work of the peacekeepers for many years.
Addressing the rumour of an imminent general election in Ireland slated for November, Mr Harris dismissed sightings of his party candidate posters in certain areas of the city. He stated that the election timeline was his constitutional responsibility and he would not make the decision impulsively as he trusted in the government’s good performance so far. He expressed his preference for the government to conclude its term by accomplishing its goals.
With the pending arrival of Hurricane Milton and the predicted severe impact on Florida’s coastline, this visit proceeds. An intended garden party at the White House was called off due to the hurricane, yet Mr Harris denied that the trip plan was minimised, noting the unchanged substantial components of the engagement beside the canapés. He concluded by noting that there was never a time a Taoiseach refused a request to meet with a US president in the Oval Office.
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