Irish President denounces 'lethargic' European response to Gaza 'horrors'

Swedish and Dutch foreign ministers call for EU to increase pressure on Israel and Hamas

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins has warned that the EU is suffering reputational damage due to its lack of action over Gaza. Getty Images

Irish President Michael D Higgins has criticised Europe's “lethargic” response to “daily horrors” in Gaza.

He said too many European leaders “have stayed silent”, and those who have begun to speak up are not using “appropriate” language.

He cited a set of measures announced by the EU on July 15 that would have allowed humanitarian relief into the Palestinian enclave and asked “how many have died” since then.

“In reacting to the horror that is a daily occurrence in Gaza, and now threatening the West Bank, some leaders seem unable to use an appropriate language to express what is taking place – be it the starvation of hostages held in Gaza or the condemning of young children to a slow death by malnutrition,” he said.

Europe will find it very difficult to repair the damage that has been done by a lethargic response that has tolerated impunity

Irish President Michael D Higgins

“I agree with those leaders, such as [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron, who are now acknowledging the reputational damage to the European Union.

“Europe will find it very difficult to repair the damage that has been done by a lethargic response that has tolerated impunity.

“For example, on 15th July a set of measures were announced as having been agreed that would allow humanitarian relief. How many have died since 15th July? How many children have been put into an irrecoverable place?

“As somebody who has lived by language all my life, it saddens me to have to say that even an appropriate language has also become a victim of this conflict.”

Ireland has been critical of Israel and consistently called for a two-state solution. At the weekend, Mr Higgins called for UN military intervention in Gaza, saying the UN General Assembly should establish “a force to be put together to guarantee humanitarian access”.

Irish President Michael D Higgins attended the football friendly between Bohemians women and the Palestine women's national team in Dublin last year. PA

After the UN officially declared famine in Gaza city, Mr Higgins said it was a “tragic period” in the world’s history. He previously showed support for Palestine in May 2024 by attending a friendly football match between Dublin's Bohemians women and the Palestine women's national team.

Earlier this month, Ireland jointly signed a letter with other European countries strongly condemning Israel’s plan to expand the war in Gaza, warning it would deepen the humanitarian crisis, endanger the remaining hostages’ lives and “lead to an unacceptable high toll of deaths and the forced displacement of nearly one million Palestinian civilians”.

Mr Higgins also lamented the killing of more than 200 journalists in Gaza, “whose words provide immediate reports of the devastation”. At the Spire on Dublin’s O’Connell Street, a vigil was held in solidarity with journalists working in the Gaza Strip.

Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) gather in Dublin, in a show of solidarity for Palestinian journalists in Gaza. PA

The comments from Mr Higgins came before the Swedish and Dutch foreign ministers sent a letter to EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas asking for the bloc to increase pressure on Israel and Hamas.

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains extremely disturbing and intolerable,” they wrote. “The civilian suffering is beyond words.”

Dutch Foreign Minister Ruben Brekelmans and Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard called for sanctions to be imposed on Hamas's political leaders.

Mr Brekelmans and Ms Malmer Stenergard also repeated their support for targeted sanctions against “extremist Israeli ministers”, a reference to Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have already been declared persona non grata by the Netherlands and Slovenia. Such a decision at EU level would require unanimity, which is unlikely due to opposition from Hungary, a close ally of Israel.

Mr Brekelmans and Ms Malmer Stenergard also stated their support for last month's European Commission proposal to partially suspend Israel’s participation in a flagship research programme known as Horizon Europe. Unlike sanctions, this proposal requires a qualified majority vote. It has yet to be submitted to a formal vote, but Germany and Italy are reportedly opposed to it.

The proposal came after the EU concluded that Israel had breached a human rights clause enshrined in EU-Israel relations. A deal struck by Ms Kallas in July with her Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar to allow more aid into Gaza has failed.

“We feel that more needs to be done to ramp up pressure on the Israeli government to change its course and to meet its obligations according to international law,” said Mr Brekelmans and Ms Malmer Stenergard in the letter.

They also said they supported suspending a preferential trade agreement with Israel and called on the Commission to put forward a proposal to this end.