Taoiseach criticises US diplomat who told Irish Government to ‘sober up’

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Taioseach has rejected comments from an American diplomat who said the Irish Government needs to “sober up”.

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee criticised the Irish Government over its plans to implement legislation that would ban the imports of goods originating in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Mr Huckabee wrote in a post on X: “Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness and 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 (the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Aiffairs) and say you’re sorry!”

Asked about the comments on Wednesday, Micheál Martin said: “I reject the comments made by the ambassador.

“The situation is very serious in Gaza including an appalling loss of human life. Terrible war crimes are being committed.

“Ireland has consistently condemned Hamas and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

“The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass.

“Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward.”

Criticism of the Occupied Territories Bill also came from figures in the Israeli government, which Mr Martin has levelled criticism at for the ongoing war in Gaza.

Mr Martin said: “I think Israel needs to focus on ending the war that is slaughtering innocent children and civilians.

“This kind of row is ridiculous, given the enormity of killing and the enormity of the death and destruction that’s happening in Gaza – and the continuing shocking behaviour in the West Bank and the freedom that’s given to extreme settlers to destroy settlements and housing belonging to Palestinians who’ve been there on that land for generations.

“The time for this war to end this has long passed.”

He added: “There’s a moral issue here, there’s an ethical issue at this stage.

“People queuing for food have been slaughtered. Bombs are landing on houses and children have been slaughtered.”