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Ireland’s deputy prime minister says there are no plans to cut funding to the UN relief agency in the Gaza Strip amid claims by Israel that some of its staff took part in the October 7 Hamas attack.
Michael Martin said he supported the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) decision to take action against personnel suspected of involvement in what he described as a “heinous” attack by Hamas.
But he made it clear that Ireland had no intention of following the example of the US and UK in withdrawing funding from the agency.
UNRWA plays a central role in providing aid to Gazans amid continued Israeli attacks in the enclave.
The agency’s director, Philippe Lazzarini, said he had terminated the contracts of “several” employees and ordered an investigation after they provided information implicating Israel in the Hamas attack.
The U.S. State Department said the charges involved 12 employees.
In addition to the UK and US, Australia, Italy and Canada have also suspended funding to UNRWA.
Martin expressed support for the authorities’ response to the allegations, saying they had shown “zero tolerance for terrorism.”
In a post on X, the Tánaiste said Ireland had “no plans to withdraw funding for UNRWA’s vital Gaza operations”.
He highlighted that Ireland had provided €18m (£15m) to the agency last year and that support would continue into 2024.
“UNRWA’s 13,000 staff provide life-saving assistance to 2.3 million people at incredible personal cost, but over the past four months more than 100 staff have died,” he said. he posted.
His statement came amid another large pro-Palestinian march and protest in Dublin on Saturday.
Thousands of demonstrators walked from Parnell Square in the north of the city to the gates of the Oireachtas parliament.
The rally called on the government to impose sanctions on Israel and join South Africa’s case against the state of Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Several similar demonstrations were held on the island of Ireland, including Belfast and Cork, on Saturday.
Martin said on Friday that the government would “strongly consider” intervening in the United Nations Supreme Court’s case in the South African genocide case.
He said he would provide a detailed analysis of Friday’s ruling by the ICJ, which ordered Israel to stop atrocities in the Gaza Strip but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire.
Saturday’s protest in Dublin was organized by the Irish-Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.
IPSC Chair Zoe Lawler said the ICJ ruling was a “historic defeat” for Israel and its supporters.
“Israel must now be forced by the international community to end its genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza, and to provide aid, political patronage, or otherwise enable this attack. “All countries and private organizations in the country must immediately cease such support,” she said. she said.
“In particular, the Irish government is now working to prevent genocide under the Genocide Convention by imposing lawful sanctions on Israel and colluding companies, including by suspending bilateral arms trade and implementing the Occupied Territories Bill and the Israeli Illegal Settlement Sale Bill. (a bill proposed by opposition politicians from the Oireachtas to legislate sanctions against Israel).
“Furthermore, Ireland must intervene at the ICJ on the side of South Africa, Palestine and justice.”