Taoiseach condemns blocking of aid to Gaza but says action at summits ‘unlikely’

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the blocking of EU humanitarian aid for Gaza is “absolutely unacceptable”, but acknowledged there was little prospect of action arising from the summits in Dublin.

Martin said Ireland was seeking to persuade EU leaders to do more for Gaza by putting pressure on Israel, but added that everyone was waiting for a new government in Israel. He said the leaders would discuss Palestine.

However, speaking on his way to the European Political Community summit, he said the “informal networking” nature of the event means there is no question of sanctions against Israel being on the agenda.

He said there was “divergence of opinion” among EU countries. “It has been very difficult on the trade and economic front to get a 27-member state position,” he said. “That’s the unfortunate reality on that.”

On Russia, he said it remains to be determined whether Vladimir Putin is serious about Ukraine peace talks.

“Maintaining channels of communication is very important,” he said, adding that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had a “channel to Moscow” which is “very important”.

Asked about the meeting between Kushner and Witkoff and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Dublin on Thursday evening, he said he hoped there would be progress.

“I think the objective of tonight’s meeting is to debrief president Zelenskiy on the engagement by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with president Putin and so it’s a moving situation,” he added.

Speaking earlier on RTÉ Radio, Martin said Ireland has neither the inclination nor the disposition to be involved in wars, as he defended moves to abolish the triple lock.

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“We don’t have the wherewithal to be frank, [to be] involved in wars,” he said. “Nor do we have any inclination or disposition to be involved in wars.” Martin rejected the suggestion that Ireland was “drifting into military alliances”.

“We’re pulling our peacekeepers out of Lebanon because the United States, under pressure from Israel, had no desire to see the continuation of the Unifil mandate,” he said.

“And we’ve been there since 1970. So the security council, in our view, is dysfunctional. We can’t rely on the security council any more for mandating peacekeeping missions.

“The same applies to Russia. The idea that Russia, which violates the UN Charter in the manner that it has through the invasion of Ukraine, should be determining whether Ireland takes part in the peacekeeping mission or not is bizarre and absurd in this day and age.”

The Taoiseach said the legislation was very clear that any involvement in an international conflict would be a peacekeeping role and in accordance with the United Nations Charter.

“For 50 years, I’ve listened to people telling me we’re going to be joining a European army,” he said. “For 50 years, I’ve listened to people saying that we’re going to be involved in wars and conflict, and none of that ever happened.”

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The Taoiseach also pointed out that there was a constitutional prohibition on joining a mutual defence pact in Europe that would require a referendum to be overturned. “That’s a very strong protection.”

“We’re not members of Nato. So we won’t be deploying troops on EU missions that could lead us to be involved in foreign wars.”