Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Harris on Monday urged Europe and the US to take stronger, more concrete steps to pressure the Israeli government over its war policy.
Speaking as the UN General Assembly opened in New York, Mr Harris said Israel’s escalating aggression is aimed at undermining the momentum created by recent international recognition of Palestinian statehood.
“As you are seeing more countries recognise the state of Palestine, you are seeing even more aggression from Israel,” the minister told The National in New York.
“It is deeply offensive that the Palestinian Authority are not represented here at a high-level meeting on a two-state solution. There’s actually going to be a conference about a two-state solution in which one of the states isn’t present. That’s illogical, offensive, and dangerous.”
The US has denied and revoked visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority seeking to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.
The minister was speaking just before a conference hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, during which several countries will announce recognition of Palestine as a state. This follows similar steps by the UK, Portugal and others.
The minister called on the EU to translate political rhetoric into economic pressure, urging member states to adopt “concrete economic actions” aimed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The European Commission has unveiled plans to restrict trade with Israel and impose sanctions on extremist ministers in its government, which if adopted would be the EU's toughest response to the war in Gaza.
The plans, tabled by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, would suspend trade-related provisions of the EU–Israel Association Agreement. This would strip Israeli goods of privileged access to European markets, with tariffs imposed on billions of euros of exports – particularly agricultural produce such as dates and citrus fruit.
Mr Harris also urged US President Donald Trump to listen to Arab states regarding their vision for the day after in Gaza.
“President Trump should engage with Arab nations, many of whom he has good relationships with and visited recently,” he said.
“Too often in the United States, the view of the day after in Gaza is misrepresented. Arab states are very clear: there is no role for Hamas in the future. The Palestinian Authority is very clear on this too. So can we stop reducing the debate to that?
“If President Trump could have meaningful engagement with the Arab states, and if the European Union could take concrete actions, those would be two very important steps alongside the recognition measures that many countries are now taking."
Mr Trump is planning to meet a select group of Arab and Muslim leaders on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss ways to end the war in Gaza, according to reports.
