Sir, – The full-page interview with Taoiseach Simon Harris in your Saturday edition contained just one line on the nightmare in Gaza: “On the conflict in Gaza, he is critical of the EU but does not see scope for Ireland to take unilateral action against Israel” (“We should never be prisoners of ideological labels”, News, August 24th).
It is a pity that Mr Harris’s precise words were not published because the reasons for this bewildering position are surely of some public interest. With more than 40,000 people now dead in Gaza, and Israel continuing to enjoy impunity, it is horrifyingly possible that the slaughter could go on for many more months yet, or even longer, perhaps until the utter extinction of Gaza as a liveable space. Will Ireland stand by – perhaps mumbling limply about EU trade rules – while this happens?
Disapproving words have not had much effect thus far on Binyamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government, and it is highly likely that Israel will change its behaviour only when it feels sustained pressure from meaningful political, financial and economic sanctions. Someone must lead the way and it is simply not good enough that Mr Harris appears to be ruling out purposeful action by Ireland. – Yours, etc,
FINTAN LANE,
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Lucan,
Co Dublin.