US president Donald Trump’s suggestion of a US-owned Gaza that would be the “Riviera of the Middle East” are “very concerning”, Simon Harris, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, has said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said cautiously that it “remains to be seen where this leads”.
Both Mr Martin and Mr Harris said Ireland and the European Union’s focus was still on delivering a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.
They emphasised maintaining the ceasefire, delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, and releasing the Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
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Mr Trump suggested overnight that he does not “think people should be going back” to Gaza as he held talks with Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the White House.
Speaking on his way into Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said the emphasis needed to be on the ceasefire.
“It’s not the first time that I’ve heard that idea, and I think I would agree that Gaza is hell on Earth right now, and has been hell on Earth for the last number of years,” he said.
“That’s the reason, then, why we need to double down on the ceasefire and make sure that the ceasefire is built upon and that the second phase is confirmed.”
Mr Martin said the US and Mr Trump played “a significant role” in securing the ceasefire.
But he also said there is “enormous concern” in Jordan and Egypt at the idea of taking in more Palestinian refugees, because they are already under “huge pressure”.
“What we need now is that the second phase of the ceasefire has followed through, and that we get a durable peace so that people can get back to their homes and start rebuilding them, because we’re talking about close to two million people in a very small piece of land.
“They need help, assistance and respite and the wherewithal to get on with life right now.”
Mr Harris asked for clarity on the US president’s comments and said Ireland and the EU believed that a two-state solution “must be the landing zone”.
“I always adopt the approach when it comes to the US administration of: judge them based on what they do and not what they say,” he said.
“I think it would be important that the United States would clarify the comments of the president overnight, because the international communities have put a huge effort now into bringing about a ceasefire.
“That ceasefire came much too late, much, much too late ... but there now, finally, is a ceasefire. And it’s really important that that ceasefire holds, but then the next phase has to be a political process that brings about a two-state solution, and that’s where Ireland’s focus is going to be. That’s where I know the focus of the European Union is going to be, and I hope it’s the focus of where the US will be too.
“It’s not a radical thing to say, or a new thing to say. It has been the long-held view of the international community that a two-state solution must be the landing zone here.
“The comments last night were, of course, very concerning, but the focus has to be on keeping the ceasefire in place, a fragile ceasefire that has seen aid finally flowing to the people of Gaza, the bombing stopping and hostages released.”
On wider relations with the US, Mr Martin said the EU-US economic relationship was the largest in the world, and that it “makes sense for all of us that we maintain that in the interest of our people”.
Asked if maintaining this relationship meant sidelining the Occupied Territories Bill, he said: “It does require a proper debate in the House in terms of a new Bill, essentially, in other words, the Bill to be introduced at second stage, the full impact of it analysed like any other piece of legislation.”
Opposition TDs were more critical of Mr Trump’s suggestion.
Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney said Mr Trump sat down beside “a wanted war criminal”, Mr Netanyahu, and “declared that he is planning to pursue a policy of ethnic cleansing as some sort of grotesque precursor to a holiday camp that he wishes to build in Gaza”.
She added: “We have to be so strong in our response. We are calling on Micheál Martin to summon the US ambassador ... and answer for this. We also want Micheál Martin to talk to us about any plans at the EU to co-ordinate a response to this incredible news.”
Asked whether Mr Martin should still go to the White House for St Patrick’s Day, Ms Gibney said: “If he [Mr Trump] remains on this trajectory towards a policy of ethnic cleansing, then no, we cannot support the Taoiseach going to the US.”
Socialist Party member Ruth Coppinger said Mr Trump’s comments were “horrific” and described the US president and Mr Netanyahu as “two psychopaths”.
“We need an urgent statement from the Taoiseach in condemnation of those comments, which I haven’t yet heard,” Ms Coppinger added.
“We had two psychopaths sitting in the Oval Office with a log fire burning behind them, talking about the ethnic cleansing of thousands of Palestinians, blithely, as if it just didn’t matter.”
She added: “Earlier in the month, we heard that the Irish Government’s strategy with Donald Trump was to love bomb him, to send him lovely messages hoping that he would just suddenly change tack. Is that still the case? We need to find that out, because there’s been a very hands-off approach to anything that Trump has done.”
