President Michael D. Higgins has publicly claimed that Israel misled him about the delivery of Irish aid to Gaza. Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships, Higgins said he spoke to Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog during an event in May, informing him of two shipments of non‐perishable Irish food intended for Gaza.

 

According to Higgins, Herzog assured him that the shipments “would be delivered within the day.” However, Higgins says the aid remains in Amman, Jordan, because “words mean nothing.”

 

Higgins called for the Irish food to be allowed into Gaza, saying his embassy was directed to work with Israeli officials to facilitate entry. He also argued for broader political consequences, suggesting that Israel and its military supporters should be excluded from the United Nations. He criticised European Union member states for remaining silent in what he characterised as a “man‐made famine,” and argued that the EU’s moral legitimacy is at stake if it fails to act.

 

Higgins reiterated that criticism of Israel is not the same as anti‐Semitism, saying there is a difference between “extreme right” posture and those advocating equality and responsibility. He also warned that the richness of speech and moral clarity is eroded when ignorance, hate, or misinterpretation go unchallenged. This marks one of Higgins’s stronger statements on the Israel-Gaza conflict, including calling for the end of trade with nations seen as inflicting human suffering.

 

A recent UN commission concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, citing aid blockages, civilian displacement, deaths, and destruction of infrastructure. Higgins used the report to reinforce his point that international silence or inaction is complicit in ongoing suffering.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

1. Claims of Misleading by Israel: President Higgins says that although assurances were given by Israel to deliver Irish aid shipments to Gaza, the food remains stuck in Jordan.

 

 

2. Call for Action & Accountability: Higgins argues for excluding Israel and its military backers from UN forums, urging the EU to act, not just speak.

 

 

3. Moral Framing of the Conflict: The president distinguishes criticism of Israeli policy from anti-Semitism, framing his position as that of human rights and equality, not hate.

 

 

 

Original Source: The Irish Times

This man looks like a little leprechaun!😅

On 9/17/2025 at 7:37 AM, georgegeorgia said:

This man looks like a little leprechaun!😅

Just what I was thinking.

I expect Higgings still believes in santa and tooth fairies.

"PM Says Israel Misled Him."

 

Feeble excuse.