Harris criticises ‘Father Ted' comment from Shatter on Israeli settlements bill
Ex-Fine Gael TD Mr Shatter has criticised the government's draft laws to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands.
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Ahead of appearing before a committee to discuss the legislation, he described it as a 'Father Ted' measure and compared it to the targeting of Jews during the Second World War.
Responding to the comments, Fine Gael leader Mr Harris said 'there's nothing funny or humorous' about the killing of children in Gaza.
A bill that would ban the trade of goods with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land is progressing through the Oireachtas.
The Government said there is a narrow legal basis, based on an advisory opinion from the UN's top court, to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said last July that countries should 'take steps to prevent trade or investment relations' that maintain illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
The Government is to ban the trade of goods, but has indicated services are more legally complex.
The foreign affairs committee is due to hear evidence in relation to the bill from Israeli, Palestinian and Jewish representatives on Tuesday, including Mr Shatter.
Mr Shatter told Newstalk radio on Tuesday morning that the bill was 'a Father Ted-like provision' that had 'no relevance' to resolving the conflict.
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He said it would indicate the Irish government believes that 'no Jewish person should reside or work in East Jerusalem or on the West Bank'.
'So this will be for the first time, a bill enacted by a European parliament which specifically targets Jews,' he said.
'We haven't had that since the end of the Nazi regime in 1945.'
Mr Harris told the same radio station that the Irish government can differentiate between a people and their government, and that the actions of the Israeli government are 'despicable'.
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'I deplore antisemitism, so does everybody in this country, but you know what, I take views of one of the highest courts in the world much more seriously.'
He referred to the ICJ opinion and said the EU is recognising that member states can enact domestic legislation in relation to it.
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'People in Ireland want to do everything we can to try and see a ceasefire, see humanitarian aid flow and see a two-state solution,' Mr Harris said.
'There's nothing funny or humorous about genocide and there's nothing humorous or funny about children queuing in Gaza today for food and water who are at risk of being shot dead by the IDF.
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'There's a genocide happening in (Gaza), references to Father Ted and the likes, they might be humorous soundbites but there's nothing funny about the slaughter of children.'
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