Christina Finn reports from New York

TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS has said he will use his time in New York this week to push for support from other member states to back the proposed EU sanctions against Israel. 

“Can we, for once and for all, actually see the European Union take practical action,” he told reporters in Manhattan this evening.  

More than 140 world leaders will descend on New York this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly summit, which will be dominated by the question of the future of the Palestinians.

France and Saudi Arabia are set to host a conference on Israel and Palestine, with Ireland and Turkey co-chairing a working group on how to preserve the two-state solution objective.  

However, one world leader who will miss the gathering is Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president who was denied a visa to attend by the US administration. 

Speaking to reporters this evening, Harris said it was “absolutely outrageous”that Abbas and other Palestinian officials could not attend.

‘Dangerous precedent’ 

Harris described it as an “extraordinarily dangerous precedent” that “people can decide who can and can’t come to the United Nations”. 

“I think that is a regrettable start to what could still be, and I hope is, this significant week in terms of trying to make progress on Gaza,” said Harris. 

The Tánaiste welcomed the move today from the UK to recognise the State of Palestine, along with a number of other countries. 

“I really think in the next number of days, we need to move beyond countries coming to the UN to simply condemn what is happening in Gaza and countries actually showing what they’re willing to do,” said Harris.

Speaking about President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the proposed sanctions against Israel, Harris said he will work this week to identify whether there is now a majority of countries that will back the proposed sanctions.

Most importantly, countries need to meet quickly, said the Tánaiste, who added: 

“You know, you can’t say there’s a genocide going on, there’s a famine going on, children are starving -  see you in six weeks. So I think we need to inject a bit of urgency here,” he said. 

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Harris said he is working to gather support from other member states to have an early meeting of member states and a vote on the proposals.

“I hope to have an update in terms of how many countries are coming on board with that initiative over the course of the next number of days,” he said, adding that he is “detecting significant support”.

‘Cautiously optimistic’

While the vote is a qualified majority vote, Harris said he is “cautiously optimistic that there may well be a majority”.

Simon Harris in Manhattan Phil Behan / DFAT Phil Behan / DFAT / DFAT

Speaking about the larger members states that will need to support the proposals, Harris said he would appeal to them to look at the UN independent inquiry which has found genocidal activity is happening, along with other external agencies who have said a man-made famine is happening in Gaza.

“You know, this kind of hope that ongoing dialogue with Israel will change the situation just simply has not happened. It’s gone the opposite direction,” he said. 

“I think there’s a very significant shift across member states and recognising the absolute severity of what’s happening here. It’s very belated, to be quite frank, but I’m working now to see if we can try and get a coalition of member states that would pass at least some of these measures,” said the Tánaiste.