{"id":306033,"date":"2026-09-25T06:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T06:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/306033\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T06:02:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T06:02:12","slug":"micheal-martin-condemns-gaza-situation-in-un-address-as-netanyahu-attacks-israels-critics-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/306033\/","title":{"rendered":"Miche\u00e1l Martin condemns Gaza situation in UN address as Netanyahu attacks Israel\u2019s critics \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was the tail-end of a gruelling day of many, many speeches by the time Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin<\/a> gave his national address in the UN<\/a> general assembly hall on Thursday evening, but a burst of applause rippled throughout the hall when he told the delegates that when the \u201cfull truth of what has happened\u201d in Gaza<\/a> is finally known; \u201cwhen the testimonies are heard, when the true horrors are finally and fully revealed, it will shame the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attention spans can wander in this enormous cavern, with its comfortable seating and poor acoustics, but at this point, Martin had a fixed attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody will be able to say that we did not know. Let it not be said that we did not act.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Irish address came just six hours after Israel<\/a>\u2019s Binyamin Netanyahu<\/a> delivered a combative and even scornful denunciation of the accusations<\/a> levelled at him and his government. The Irish delegation sat through the Israel address; it emerged that Spain was the only EU member state whose delegation absented itself.<\/p>\n

In keeping with the theme of UN speeches which have been heavily critical of the actions of Israel in Gaza, the Taoiseach said \u201cwhat we are witnessing on the ground is a deliberate attempt by some to make the prospect of a two-state solution impossible. This is not some mad conspiracy theory \u2013 it is the stated intent of the prime minister of Israel who said clearly that \u201cwe are going to fulfil our promise that there will be no Palestinian state. This place belongs to us\u201d as he permitted the E1 [West Bank] illegal development in East Jerusalem. And the situation in Gaza remains an affront to all that is decent. How can we tolerate a situation where civilians are so desperate for shelter that they have to make their homes in war-damaged and unsafe buildings? Where eight children died because one of them collapsed? Where the most basic humanitarian aid \u2013 food and shelter \u2013 is deliberately impeded?\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Israel becoming isolated over \u2018disproportionate, shocking\u2019 actions in Gaza, says TaoiseachOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

\"IsraeliIsraeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu addresses the UN General Assembly in New York. Photograph: Dave Sanders\/The New York Times <\/p>\n

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, Netanyahu had scoffed at the suggestion of a \u2018colonisation\u2019 of the territory. While Gaza, and Russia<\/a>\u2019s war with Ukraine<\/a> dominated remarks all week, Martin strongly reinforced Ireland\u2019s commitment to the International Criminal Court and highlighted the oppression of women in Afghanistan in emphasising Ireland\u2019s support for gender equality and human rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe women of Afghanistan have not disappeared. And neither should our solidarity. The same is true elsewhere. Across the world, women and girls face conflict-related sexual violence, forced displacement, trafficking and discrimination. Across the world, LGBTQI+ people face growing threats to their rights, safety and dignity. Ireland remains firmly committed to the universality, indivisibility and equal application of human rights. These principles are beyond question. That commitment is why Ireland is seeking election to the Human Rights Council for the 2027\u20132029 term.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ireland\u2019s address came in the closing days of a subdued UN general assembly high-level week, after which the institution remains under pressure, to which Martin alluded in his speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the answer to a world under strain is not less international co-operation. It is more. The answer to the weakening of principles is not to abandon them. It is to defend them. And if our multilateral system is not working effectively, the answer is not to walk away from it. It is to make it stronger, fairer and fit for the world we live in. That is Ireland\u2019s position.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Martin and Mamdani call bingo numbers and smile for the cameras in heart of Irish New YorkOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It was the tail-end of a gruelling day of many, many speeches by the time Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":306034,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[33],"tags":[1022,37,3998,6806],"class_list":["post-306033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-binyamin-netanyahu","tag-israel","tag-micheal-martin","tag-united-nations-un"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@iran\/117330165897533961","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=306033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/306034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=306033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=306033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=306033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}