Latest news with #MickHuckabee
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Claims Ireland is anti-Semitic 'defamatory and untrue'- Senator McDowell
Claims that Ireland is anti-Semitic are 'defamatory and untrue', Senator Michael McDowell has said. The US Ambassador to Israel, Mick Huckabee, launched a scathing attack against the Irish Government for progressing the Occupied Territories Bill. The bill would prohibit trade between the State and Israel's illegal settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territories. Mr Huckabee called the bill, which was introduced by Independent Senator Frances Black, 'so stupid' and asked if it could be attributed to an act of 'diplomatic intoxication'. Taking to X, he wrote: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to an act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up Ireland!' He then asked Ireland to call the Israel Foreign Ministry to 'say sorry'. This comes as former minister for justice Alan Shatter heavily criticised the bill as it was given consideration at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. As a member of the Ireland Israel Alliance, the former Fine Gael TD repeatedly referred to the bill as a 'Father Ted' measure. He also compared it to how the Jews were targeted during the Second World War. In the Seanad yesterday, Senator McDowell said claims that Ireland, its Government, or its Houses of Parliament were motivated by, or amounted, to anti-Semitism 'were grossly defamatory and untrue'. He added: 'Our position on Gaza is shared by many Israeli Jews, including a former Israeli Prime Minister. It is simply defamatory and untrue to assert that Ireland's position on Gaza and recognition of the Palestinian state was motivated by anti-Semitism or hatred of Jews.' Many US politicians have been highly critical of the bill in recent days, including Republic senator Lindsey Graham. He said: 'I hope that Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel, as they are in a fight for their very existence. 'I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States and they certainly would not go unnoticed.' Republican congressman Pete Stauber said Ireland 'must reconsider' the Occupied Territories bill. Taking to X, he wrote: 'Ireland is making a serious mistake. Banning the import of goods from Israeli businesses operating in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is not only antisemitic, but it also has serious ramifications for American businesses.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Prominent US politicians calls Occupied Territories Bill ‘extreme antisemitic hate'
A large number of US politicians have warned the Government that enacting the Occupied Territories Bill would be harmful for Ireland . The proposed bill is expected to be put before the Dáil in the autumn. The legislation would prohibit trading with companies operating in illegal settlements in the West Bank and other occupied territories. At least 10 members of Congress have shared their criticisms of the bill on X in what would appear to be a concerted campaign. They were joined by the US ambassador to Israel Mick Huckabee who posted on X: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up Ireland! Call @IsraelMFA & say you're sorry!' [ Government effort to ban occupied territories trade gets EU boost Opens in new window ] Lisa McClain, the chair of the House Republicans, stated that 'any legislation boycotting, divesting, or sanctioning Israel would be a huge mistake for Ireland. 'This type of extreme anti-Semitic hate is unacceptable and should be rejected.' On X, Rep McClain linked to an article from The Hill website which warned that the passing of bill would create a 'real and immediate legal risk not for Israel, but for American companies and investors'. The article, authored by three legal academics, Mark Goldfeder, Anat Beck and Erielle Davidson, outlines that the United States has had a long-standing policy going back to 1977 that US companies will not be allowed to participate in any boycott of Israel. 'Federal anti-boycott laws make it illegal for US companies to comply with foreign government boycott requests targeting Israel,' it says. 'That means American firms that change their behaviour in response to Ireland's new law – whether by cancelling contracts, terminating suppliers or rerouting goods away from Israeli partners in the West Bank – could face serious penalties at home.' More than 36 US states have adopted laws that bar companies from receiving state contracts if they boycott Israel, it said . Well-known US senator Lindsey Graham posted: I hope that Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel, as they are in a fight for their very existence. I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States and they certainly would not go unnoticed.' Senator Rick Scott also linked to The Hill article: 'This foolish move not only wrongfully targets Israel & the Jewish Community, but also harms American businesses. They should think twice about the message they're sending by passing this bill, which complicates our economic relationship & targets our ally.' This foolish move not only wrongfully targets Israel & the Jewish Community, but also harms American businesses. They should think twice about the message they're sending by passing this bill, which complicates our economic relationship & targets our ally. Other members of congress who have warned Ireland about the consequences of the problem including congress members Mike Lawler, Mike Crapo, Peter Stauber and Claudia Tenny among a growing number of US politicians, most of them Republican, who have vocally opposed the Occupied Territories Bill Two weeks ago US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Senator Jim Risch said the Occupied Territories Bill 'will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering' for the State. Writing on X, the veteran Republican senator for Idaho said: 'Ireland, while often a valuable US partner, is on a hateful, anti-Semitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering. His comments were rejected by Taoiseach Micheál Martin. 'I would reject any assertion that this is anti-Semitic. I'm appalled of that assertion and that's something we're going to correct,' he said in response to Senator Risch's comments. 'We will work on our economic interests. We'll work to explain our position to interlocutors in the US and to the US administration.'
