CATHERINE CONNOLLY HAS criticised British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for saying Hamas should be excluded from any future Palestinian government, arguing that the group is “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people”.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster earlier today, the independent Áras hopeful argued that it is not up to foreign leaders to dictate who governs Palestine.

Her comments came after a number of nations, including the UK, Canada and Australia, all formally recognised a Palestinian state ahead of the ongoing UN summit in New York.

During his announcement confirming the UK’s recognition of Palestine yesterday, Starmer insisted the decision “is not a reward for Hamas” because it means Hamas can have “no future, no role in government, no role in security”.

“Our call for a genuine two-state solution is the exact opposite of [Hamas's] hateful vision,” he said in the video statement.

Connolly contested this, stating: “I don’t think it’s up to Keir Starmer to make that statement at all.”

The Palestinians must decide, in a democratic way, who they want to lead their country.”

“I come from Ireland, a history of colonisation, and I would be very wary of telling a sovereign people how to run their country.”

Connolly, who has put Palestine at the centre of her presidential platform, said world leaders should focus instead on “the genocide in Gaza”.

What Keir Starmer and other countries should be doing is stopping the genocide, absolutely calling out what it is – genocide – and using our voices to stop it.”

A UN commission, genocide experts and the Irish government have labelled Israeli actions in Gaza as genocidal. The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 65,000 people since October 2023.

Connolly repeated her condemnation of the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, but rejected suggestions that they could be described as genocide.

“Genocide has a very, very specific meaning under international law,” she said.

“What happened on 7 October was wrong, absolutely wrong, but they’re not comparable at all.”

She added that she is on record for condemning the Hamas attack, but said: “History did not start on 7 October.”

Connolly linked her stance to Ireland’s own historical experiences, citing both colonial rule and the Great Famine.

“Those events are still alive in our DNA,” she said.

“They give us a unique voice for peace and an obligation to use our neutrality in the most proactive way possible.”

She added that Gaza is “on the top of her list” of issues that she is campaigning on.

Her comments drew sharp criticism from Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who accused her of qualifying her condemnation of Hamas.

Speaking from the UN summit in New York, Martin claimed Connolly “really had a reluctance to unequivocally condemn Hamas.”

“Hamas came to power in Gaza by a brutal elimination of Fatah and Palestinian Authority figures,” he said.

“They are not committed to equality or multi-culturalism or pluralism. People need to be clear-eyed in viewing Hamas,” he said.

“If we are trying to chart a path for a Palestinian state with guarantees for Israel’s future, then Hamas is not that option.”

Fianna Fáil’s presidential candidate Jim Gavin said that he was “surprised” at Connolly’s comments, but said that “the bigger picture” was the UK recognising Palestine.

On Hamas involvement in a future Palestinian government, Gavin said: “I think that Hamas haven’t been good to the Palestinian people.”

“Ultimately, it will be up to the Palestinian people in that two-state solution to vote and to recommend who represents them,” Gavin added.

Connolly has secured nominations from Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, the Greens and People Before Profit.

She is due to formally launch her campaign in Dublin this evening.

Additional reporting from Press Association