Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that last weekend’s Hamas attack on Israel was “an attack on everyone, not just Israel”.
There was “no moral equivalence” between the Hamas attacks which killed over 1,000 people in Israel and the Israeli response in recent days, he told Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show.
While Israel had a right to defend itself, Mr Varadkar was concerned that its response would be “disproportionate”, with many Palestinian civilians killed. “Attacks on civilians are always wrong. They constitute war crimes. The taking of hostages, in my view, is always wrong, no matter who is doing it – whether it’s here or abroad, whether it’s the Israeli Government or Hamas and as an Irish Government we are very clear on that.”
Mr Varadkar said he had been horrified by the attacks last weekend. “Let’s not forget, Hamas didn’t just attack Israel. It killed and took hostage citizens of countries from all over the world – from Thailand to America to the UK. One of our own citizens is unaccounted for at the moment, so Hamas’s attack was an attack on everyone, not just Israel.
“I believe Israel has a right to defend itself. It’s surrounded by enemies who want to destroy it – but it has to do so in a way that is proportionate.”
The devastation in Gaza from the Israeli air strikes was “not quite on the same scale” as that seen in Chechnya or Syria after Russia’s attacks, he said. “I do fear that the response from Israel will be disproportionate. That many Palestinian civilians will be killed, will be injured, will suffer – and we’re calling for restraint.”
The leadership in both countries will need to take “big risks” if peace is to be achieved in the region, but he did not think that was likely at the moment from either the Israeli or Palestinian leadership “and that’s very sad”.
Meanwhile, Europe cannot in any shape or circumstances pull back on humanitarian aid into Gaza, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.
While Israel had a right to defend itself, it must be in accordance with the Geneva Convention, he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland. “And that means, in our view, that there cannot be collective punishment of the entire civilian population in Gaza. And also fundamentals like food, fuel, electricity must be allowed for the populace. Because there is nowhere to go.”
The death toll in Israel climbed to more than 1,200 after last weekend’s attacks by Hamas, while some 900 people have been reported killed in Gaza after Israeli reprisals.
The Tánaiste later said Irish diplomats in the region remain in contact with Irish citizens in Israel and the Occupied Territories though he declined to say how many.
He said the advice from his Department is to avoid all non-essential travel to Israel and Palestine and to avoid all travel to southern Israel.
Mr Martin said: “Our embassy in Israel and our representative office in Ramallah had been in touch with Irish citizens” and he encouraged citizens or their families to contact these missions.
Ireland has around 500 peace-keeping troops in Lebanon and on the Golan Heights and Mr Martin, who is also Minister for Defence, said they are safe.
He said: “They’re following protocols and very alert to the challenges there – particularly in terms of Lebanon.”
Mr Martin said there was a focus on trying to prevent regional escalation in places like the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday..
“That is a clear focus of both the intention of the partner countries in the region and for the European Union and also a matter of some concern.
“But our troops are safe and I have regular daily contact with the Chief of Staff and our Defence secretary general in respect of these issues,” Mr Martin said.
Religious response
Meanwhile, Ireland’s four Catholic Archbishops have expressed “shock and dismay” at “events that have unfolded in the land of the birth of Our Lord”.
Pleading for an end to violence there, they said “we, who love the Holy Land as the fifth Gospel, urge all people of goodwill to work towards a cessation of violence, ensuring that civilian populations be respected and that all hostages are released without harm.”
The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland has also expressed its “profound shock” at recent events in Israel and extended its sympathies “to the innocent people of Gaza, many of whom have and will undoubtedly continue to face repercussions due to the decisions of their leadership”.
Catholic Primate Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Tuam Frances Duffy, and Archbishop of Cashel Kieran O’Reilly described “the loss of innocent lives together with the large numbers of innocent people injured in the Holy Land” as “a great affront to a lasting peace”.
They continued, “unfortunately, the present crisis does not augur well for the immediate future as many more may endure destruction and death.” Echoing the words of Pope Francis last Sunday, they said “let it be understood that terrorism and war do not lead to any resolutions, but only to the death and suffering of so many innocent people”.
In a statement, the Jewish Representative Council said “Irish citizens of the Jewish faith” expressed profound shock and condemnation of the weekend’s “unprecedented terrorist attack against ordinary, innocent Israeli citizens. This heinous act has resulted in the tragic loss of hundreds of lives and left thousands grievously wounded”.
It continued: “the subsequent abduction of innocent civilians only serves to intensify an already volatile situation. Such actions not only endanger the lives of those directly involved but also threaten the fragile peace and stability of the region.
“Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims of this senseless violence. We stand in solidarity with them during this dark time, hoping for a swift resolution and the safe return of the kidnapped individuals.”
They extended their “sympathies to the innocent people of Gaza, many of whom have and will undoubtedly continue to face repercussions due to the decisions of their leadership”.
Ireland’s Chief Rabbi has called on all political leaders to issues statements of support for Israel and to condemn the attacks by Hamas.
Yoni Wieder told RTÉ radio’s News at One that the Irish Jewish community expected “outright condemnation” of the actions by Hamas who, he said, were using the citizens of Gaza as human shields.
Rabbi Wieder said his community was taking all the security precautions that had been recommended to them by local authorities and the gardaí.
