Cliff Notes
- Ireland‘s Foreign Minister Simon Harris emphasised that the country’s relationship with the US transcends individual administrations, rooted in a centuries-old connection.
- He defended Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state, reiterating its importance for achieving a two-state solution and countering claims that it aids Hamas.
- Facing serious threats in Ireland, Harris stressed the necessity of upholding democratic values and rejecting intimidation, noting that politics should be free from violent threats.
Conor McGregor ‘represents the worst of us,’ says Ireland’s foreign minister
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Ireland’s foreign minister says his country’s relationship with the United States is “deeper than any one person” in the White House.
Simon Harris, who’s in Washington for trade talks with the administration, told Sky News it was important to “speak truth to our friends” in a respectful way.
Referring to the special relationship between the two countries, he said: “Ireland, a country with a population the size of South Carolina, is the fifth largest foreign direct investor into the United States…
“There’s now almost 800 Irish companies operating in the United States and over 200,000 jobs created.”
Asked about the Trump administration’s very public endorsement of Conor McGregor, Mr Harris said the mixed martial arts fighter “represents the worst of us”.
He talked about Ireland having had “good engagements” with US President Donald Trump, but added: “The relationship is deeper than any one person, the relationship is hundreds of years old.”
Eighteen months after Ireland recognised a Palestinian state, he rejected the US president’s claim that doing so rewards Hamas and risks the lives of Israeli hostages.
He said: “Recognition is important. It tells the people of Palestine, we see you. We believe that two states exist. You can’t have a two-state solution without recognising two states.
“There was very, very good work done this week at the United Nations in New York, a declaration showing a roadmap forward where there is no future for Hamas.”
Mr Harris, who is visiting the United States in the wake of recent political violence, has been the target of serious threats back in Ireland.
“You cannot be bullied out of political office,” he said, “because it’s not about me or any individual. It’s about our democracy.
“People who wish to operate in the shadows, people who wish to operate behind anonymous accounts, be they in Ireland or be they abroad, should never be allowed to interfere in the democracy of a country.”
Having faced “vile and horrific” threats of violence and been forced to evacuate his home after bomb warnings, he spoke about having to “dig deep to carry on”.
“Politics is about debating and discussing ideas of people who have different opinions, but that’s a world apart from threatening violence, kidnapping and other horrific threats on people’s families,” he said.