Tánaiste Micheál Martin has described the Israeli strikes on a refugee camp in Rafah as “barbaric.”
He made these comments during a joint news conference in Brussels this morning with his Spanish and Norwegian counterparts.
The strikes on the centre for displaced people near Rafah killed dozens, according to Gaza and West Bank officials, who called it a “massacre.” The Israeli army, however, claimed it had targeted Hamas militants.
Mr. Martin emphasized that the dire consequences of military operations in Rafah were predicted by all the UN agencies and humanitarian groups he had met. “They predicted that any military operation in Rafah would have dire consequences for the population in Gaza, and that is exactly what is happening right now,” he said.
He further criticized the ongoing conditions in Gaza, highlighting the hunger, starvation, and the refusal to allow sufficient aid. “What we witnessed last night was barbaric,” he added.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares commented on the attack, pointing out that it came after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to halt its assault on Rafah. He stressed the importance of enforcing the ICJ’s decision.
Albares stated, “If Israel continues to pursue its actions against the opinion of the International Court of Justice, we must take the right measures to enforce that decision and back one of the most important bodies of the UN Charter.”
Mr. Martin also addressed the upcoming recognition of the State of Palestine by Ireland, Spain, and Norway. He said this move reflects their determination to bring about a fundamental shift in the approach to the Middle East conflict.
He criticized the international community, including the European Union, for failing to advance the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. “We are no nearer to getting close to that desired end state,” he stated.
Mr. Martin rejected the notion that recognizing Palestine is a reward for terrorism. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he asserted.
Last night, Mr. Martin participated in a meeting in Brussels hosted by Norway and Saudi Arabia, along with representatives from 40 countries, to discuss reviving the Middle East peace process.
During the meeting, he held bilateral discussions with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Bahrain, as well as the Palestinian foreign minister.
The recognition of Palestine is expected to be a topic at today’s meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. Mr. Martin will address his EU colleagues on Ireland’s decision and hopes other countries will follow suit.
The European Union aims to agree on an EU border mission at Rafah, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell. He stated this before the monthly meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Borrell also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of making false claims of anti-Semitism against the International Criminal Court for political purposes.
Last week, the ICC prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Mr. Netanyahu, his defense minister, and three senior Hamas figures.
On Friday, the ICJ ordered Israel to halt its military operation in Rafah, stating that it endangered the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention.
Mr. Martin’s comments and the actions of the ICJ and ICC underscore the growing international pressure on Israel regarding its military operations and treatment of Palestinians.
