Branding those opposed to Netanyahu policies antisemitic is ‘slander'
He said the slander has been used against Ireland and individuals, including the president himself.
Speaking at the Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Mr Higgins said there is an active campaign against Ireland in the United States.
He said that it 'breaks my heart' that there are countries who are holding back on a ceasefire.
Mr Higgins said that more than 81% of the people in Gaza have been displaced.
'They have been put into temporary accommodation that has been bombed. Their soil is being destroyed,' he added.
'Their hospitals have been bombed.'
Mr Higgins, who lasted visited Gaza in 2006, also spoke about the importance of the bakeries in the region.
And he was critical of the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, saying it was an 'entirely unaccountable body', whose executive director resigned last week.
Jake Wood, the American heading the foundation, unexpectedly resigned earlier this week, saying it had become clear that the foundation would not be allowed to operate independently.
Mr Higgins added: 'One of the things you should look at is what is in the boxes they are distributing. Far from me to speak about any delay in anyone getting any relief but they are branded products for the future private sector of retail.
'Look at the wrappings. Imagine giving a starving person something wrapped in your own brand so that you will have opportunities in the future.'
He also said that those who are seen to criticise Mr Netanyahu's policies are being described as antisemitic.
'That is a disgrace and a slander and has been a slander against Ireland, against individuals, including myself,' he said.
'People who have worked all their lives in relation to human rights activity. I think it has been given too much space.
'The idea that propaganda can pay against Ireland is now active in the United States, so that when we are seeking to have meetings with people who are investing in Ireland, they are being contacted in advance with a suggestion by saying, 'you must open why is Ireland so against the US position in Israel'.'
He also repeated comments in which he urged the UN General Assembly to use its special powers to override the Security Council if it fails to act in Gaza.
'Now is the time, today is the day for food and medical aid and water to be made available,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Lone wolf attacks in Boulder and D.C. highlight the difficulties in securing public spaces
OULDER, Colo. — Once again, the war in Gaza has come home to America. A man using what police called a "makeshift flamethrower" launched a gruesome attack on demonstrators in Boulder on Sunday, raising questions about why security wasn't stronger in the wake of an earlier attack in Washington, D.C. Run for Their Lives, the organization behind the long-standing demonstration that advocated for the return of Israeli hostages, had anticipated that its members would have safety concerns. The group offered principles to make the events safer, including "don't protest," "be polite and peaceful" and "don't disturb your neighbors." "Focus on humanity," the guidance on its website says. "This is about innocent children, women, the elderly, and other civilians being held by terrorists—not about the war." The Boulder chapter of Run for Their Lives has been holding regular demonstrations demanding that Hamas release the hostages seized during the terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Kyle and Elizabeth Shorter, who live in a Denver suburb and were taking their wedding pictures in Boulder when the attack happened, said the Run for Their Lives demonstrators had become fixtures on the street. 'Every time we've come up here the past couple of years, they've always been here,' said Elizabeth Shorter, 26. 'They've never been aggressive or chanting, just simply walking.' And that, an expert said, could make them harder to protect from a terrorist. 'Usually, there is a regular detail assigned to protect protesters,' said Brian Higgins, who teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and runs a security consulting firm called Group 77. 'But it's not uncommon for a mindset to set in that, as time goes on and nothing out of the ordinary happens, that there's no need to be on high alert.' Higgins, who said he wasn't aware of what security measures Boulder police had in place Sunday, was taken aback by video that showed the attacker threatening people before police intervened. 'That shouldn't have happened,' Higgins said. 'That raises questions for me about how much security there was at this protest.' Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said his department is aware of events taking place later in the month and will plan to provide additional security coverage. 'We want to ensure that people feel comfortable and safe in this community,' he told reporters on Monday. Shira Weiss, global coordinator for Run for Their Lives, said that some chapters have long relied on protection from local police or private security but that it's "really the individual group leader's decision how and when they want to use security." And while some local chapters have paused to "recompose themselves and give themselves space to heal" after the Boulder attack, others have said, "We won't stop; we're going to be right back out there next week," Weiss said. 'We obviously keep reiterating to our group leaders that safety is the No. 1 priority,' she said. Although clearly frightened by what she witnessed, attack survivor Lisa Turnquist, 66, said she won't be deterred from speaking out against Hamas and on behalf of the Israeli hostages. "This is when we have to get up and we have to stand out and push back," said Turnquist, who spoke to a reporter outside the historic Boulder County Courthouse, where the attack happened. "We just want the hostages home." A dozen people were injured Sunday, eight of whom remain hospitalized, authorities said. Initial calls to police reported people "being set on fire," and officers found multiple victims with burns and other injuries, Boulder's police chief told reporters. Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged with attempted murder and a hate crime, among other offenses. The attack happened just 11 days after two Israeli Embassy workers were gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington. In both the Boulder and the Washington attacks, the attackers are alleged to have yelled the same thing: 'Free Palestine.' Security experts who spoke with NBC News questioned how the man in Boulder was able to allegedly launch such an attack downtown even amid heightened awareness after the Washington killings. Higgins said his security clients include several major Jewish organizations. And ever since the killings of Israeli Embassy workers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim on May 22, they have been adding extra layers of security, he said. 'Given what's going on out there and the agitation out there, my recommendation is that there should be an elevated level of security at all Gaza protests,' Higgins said. Run for Their Lives has been holding regular demonstrations outside the county courthouse on Pearl Street since Hamas launched a bloody surprise attack on Israel and took 250 hostages. That spawned an Israeli invasion of Gaza that has left more than 54,000 people dead, many of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Michael Alcazar, a former hostage negotiator with the New York Police Department who also teaches at John Jay, said Pearl Street is a soft target for a terrorist attack. He said the attacker was able to approach the demonstrators because they didn't appear to be protected. 'The police chief dropped the ball not having a uniform presence over there,' Alcazar said. 'Is the police chief not aware of what's going in the world?' The Boulder Police Department didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The Anti-Defamation League said it had been in contact with local law enforcement in Boulder. 'We feel at ADL like many across the country feel, which is just vulnerability and both sadness and anger at the violence that we've seen,' said Oren Segal, the Anti-Defamation League's senior vice president for counterextremism and intelligence. 'This is a wake-up call — not just for the Jewish community." The FBI also said in a statement that "our goal is always to get ahead of any threats." "We have long warned that lone actors or small groups of conspirators present a great challenge to law enforcement because there may not be a lot of clues about their intentions," it said. An affidavit alleged that Soliman, a married father of five, had been planning the attack for over a year and was waiting for one of his daughters to graduate before he set his alleged plan into motion. It didn't specify where his daughter was graduating from. Soliman told investigators during his arrest interview that he researched how to make Molotov cocktails on YouTube, according to the affidavit. It alleged that he was also unrepentant about the attack, saying he would do it again to stop Israel from taking over 'our land,' referring to the Palestinian territories. Elias Rodriguez, the Chicagoan charged with the deaths of Lischinsky and Milgrim, was also motivated by the Gaza war, authorities said. He told police when he was arrested, ' I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,' according to court records and published reports. In his first comments since the attack, President Donald Trump condemned the "horrific" incident Monday on Truth Social. Earlier, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller sought to shift blame onto the Biden administration for allowing Soliman in the country. 'He was granted a tourist visa by the Biden Administration and then he illegally overstayed that visa,' Miller said Sunday on X. 'In response, the Biden Administration gave him a work permit.' Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, amplified that on X, saying that Soliman "is illegally in our country" and that he applied for asylum in September 2022. McLaughlin later told NBC News that Soliman's asylum claim was pending and that while his visa had expired, he hadn't yet exhausted all legal routes to stay in the United States. y.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
UN assembly elects Germany's ex-foreign minister as next president after Russia demands secret vote
The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly elected Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock to be the next head of the 193-member world body in a secret-ballot vote demanded by Russia. Baerbock got 167 votes, almost double the 88 votes needed to win, while high-ranking German diplomat Helga Schmid received 7 votes as a write-in and 14 countries abstained. Germany had nominated Schmid for the assembly presidency but replaced her with Baerbock after she lost her job as the country's foreign affairs chief in the recent election. The decision drew some criticism in Germany. When Baerbock appeared before the assembly to discuss her candidacy on May 15, Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky lashed into her, saying: 'Ms. Baerbock has repeatedly proved her incompetence, extreme bias and lack of understanding of the basic principles of diplomacy.' Polyansky accused her of having pursued an 'anti-Russia policy," which he said gave Russia reason to doubt that as General Assembly president she would be "able to act in the interests of peace and dialogue.' Baerbock brushed off Russia's request for a secret ballot. 'I am grateful … the overwhelming majority of member states have voted in favor of my candidacy and I'm looking forward to work with all member states together in these challenging times,' she said. Baerbock will replace current assembly president Philemon Yang, a former prime minister of Cameroon, at the start of the 80th session in September. She will preside over the annual gathering of world leaders in late September and anniversary events marking the founding of the United Nations in 1945. The one-year presidency of the General Assembly rotates by region. The assembly, which is the U.N.'s most representative body, has taken the spotlight in reacting to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. That's because any action by the U.N. Security Council has been blocked by the veto power of Russia on Ukraine and the United States on Gaza. Baerbock said in her acceptance speech that the theme of her presidency will be 'Better Together,' stressing that the world is 'walking on a tightrope of uncertainty' in very challenging times. The birth of the United Nations on the ashes of World War II 'reminds us: We have lived through difficult times before," she said. "And it is up to us to take up these challenges.' Baerbock pointed to more than 120 armed conflicts around the world today as another reminder that the U.N.'s primary mission, 'to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war," remains unaccomplished. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Baerback will take the presidency as the world faces not only 'conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality' but divisions and mistrust. 'Aid and development funding are drying up, and our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow,' he said. 'This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges.'
New European
3 hours ago
- New European
Britain enters a new nuclear age
Alongside an ambitious plan to build up to 12 new attack submarines, and to create jobs in six new ammunition factories, one of the most striking commitments is to enter discussions with the USA aimed at 'enhanced participation in Nato's nuclear mission'. This innocuous sounding sentence represents a big change in nuclear posture. Make no mistake: today's Strategic Defence Review marks the start of British rearmament. Not only does it signal the UK's commitment to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP, but to a type of spending designed to enhance the UK's strategic clout in the world. At present, only Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands host US-owned tactical nuclear bombs, with their aircraft designed to be 'dual capable' of delivering such bombs on target. The UK, which lacks tactical nuclear weapons, could now volunteer to do likewise, but would need to buy a different variant of the F-35 combat aircraft than the one that is flown from the Royal Navy's carriers. That would be a major change in nuclear policy – because the British deterrent has, since the 1990s, been strategic-only. As I've argued here before, we need a wider range of options because Putin is now making regular threats to use nukes against Nato, and tactical nukes against Ukraine – so it makes sense to place more of Nato's collective nuclear armoury closer to the front line, and distributed among a larger number of allies. Over and above deterring Russian aggression, almost everything Labour has announced today looks designed to achieve three things: to boost Britain's influence among its allies, to deliver high skilled jobs to places where they are scarce, and to get ahead of the game in the military technologies of the future. These don't only include drones – though the spectacular Ukrainian strike on Russia's strategic bomber fleet on Sunday shows that we've hardly even begun to understand their power. The technological arms race is now focused on niche areas of science – like nanotech, materials and quantum computing – and Labour, to its credit, has understood that it in any conflict with Russia it is the science labs of Oxbridge, Imperial and Edinburgh, not the 'playing fields of Eton', that might be decisive. Suggested Reading We must take a nuclear leap into the unknown Paul Mason For the armed forces, often bound by tradition and prone to inter-service rivalry, making the SDR work will be a challenge. Because in every domain of warfare – land, air, sea, space and cyberspace – they face the same problem: they are running decades-old kit designed for an era when Britain could choose which wars it fights, while at the same time moving to a completely new, digitally enabled way of fighting, in which technological change never stops. In this context, faced with a Russia that has turned itself into a war economy, and itself learned to innovate rapidly – deterrence comes down to showing Putin that our own industry, science and digital technology base could crank itself up to speed, and indeed surpass what Russia itself could achieve. For me, the most basic task of the SDR was to assess the scale of the Russian threat and offer the electorate an honest proposal of how to meet it – within our means. Though it might sound simple to achieve, it was not achieved at any point during 14 years of Conservative government, above all after 2020, when Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings declared a 'tilt' of security priorities towards Asia, while systematically underfunding the ministry of defence. Labour reversed that stance, declaring from day one that its priority is: 'Nato First'. The SDR places maritime warfare as the highest priority and designates the Atlantic and the Arctic as the UK's prime areas of interest. There's been a row today over the precise form of words Keir Starmer is using – describing the 3% target in the 2030s as an ambition. I think it's clear that Labour means to find the money to achieve that – but it stands way outside the term of UK fiscal forecasting, and no chancellor would allow it to be stated as a firm commitment outside of a budget statement. The real question with the SDR is: do the capabilities match the threats? The answer is: only if you believe Russia can be deterred through Nato remaining cohesive and the UK leading an enhancement of continent-wide nuclear deterrence. If it cannot, then 3, 4 or even 5% won't be enough. In 1939, after seven years of rearmament, Britain's defence budget was 9% of GDP – and once war broke out it rose above 50%. Today's focus on the big stuff – submarines, which are the capital ships of the 21st century, and a £15bn upgrade to nuclear warheads – reflects Starmer's determination for this country to avoid any impression that it wants to be 'Little Britain'. With a cash-strapped treasury, it is a decision to spend on what's strategic, and rely on allies for that which is not. There is even the promise, thinking long term, to specify within this parliament a replacement for the Dreadnought submarines, currently being built at Barrow: and they don't even go out of service until 2050. I would like to have seen more spending and faster – above all because defence industrial investment is one of the surest ways to boost growth and social cohesion in communities that have seen too little of it. But until Labour can win the argument with the British people that they need to pay more tax, and tolerate more borrowing to fund defence, progress is going to be incremental. That, in turn, will depend on the outcome of Ukraine's peace negotiations with Russia. If they fail – and that looks likely – people may wake up to the fact that the prospect of endless war on our doorstep requires a change of attitude to defence. In that sense, the SDR was the start, not the end, of something.
