Bijdrage van Wilma Mulder

17.12.2024 It is “deep slander” to accuse the Irish people of being antisemitic because of criticisms of the Israeli government, President Michael D Higgins has said.“ I think it’s very important to express, as President of Ireland, to say that the Irish people are antisemitic is a deep slander,” Higgins said. “To suggest because one criticises Prime Minister Netanyahu that one is antisemitic is such a gross defamation and slander." “Originally… I put it down to lack of experience but I saw later that it was part of a pattern to damage Ireland.” He said Ireland “cannot be knocked off our principle support of international law” and accused Benjamin Netanyahu of breaching international law “and the sovereignty of three of his neighbours”, a reference to Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. Addressing Palestinian ambassador Dr Jilan Abdalmajid, Higgins said: “I want to assure you as the Tánaiste has and as the Taoiseach has, we will not be deflected.” Higgins said that the killing of 45,000 people in Gaza, 17,000 of whom are children; injuries in Gaza being treated without pain relief; and the Palestinian enclave having the largest number of child amputees in the world is what Ireland bases its position on. He said the Irish position has been informed by “the details of these tragic breaches of international law”. #Ireland #Israel #Palestine #ICJ #ICC https://lnkd.in/egX4HxRd