The three leaders of the Coalition Government are expected to announce this morning that Ireland will recognise the State of Palestine.
Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister Eamon Ryan will hold a news conference at 8am at Government Buildings.
No agenda has been disclosed but it is now widely expected that they will recognise the Palestinian State.
The Taoiseach signalled at the weekend that the Government would take that decision, along with a number of other unspecified EU member states, before the end of May.
The Coalition leaders briefed their Cabinet colleagues on the subject of Palestinian recognition yesterday morning.
It is understood the discussions centred on the practicalities of what recognition means rather than the date on when it will happen.
A Government spokesman said there was ongoing liaison and coordination between several EU capitals on the issue, including Madrid.
Breaking - Coalition leaders to hold news conference at 8am tomorrow in Dublin. Agenda not disclosed but seems highly likely Ireland is about to recognise the State of #Palestine - despite major objections by #Israel. @rtenews pic.twitter.com/5yxuWbb1he
— Paul Cunningham (@RTENewsPaulC) May 21, 2024
Amid the move, the Israeli foreign ministry has posted a video message directed at Ireland, which claims that if the Irish Government recognises the State of Palestine it will be encouraging terrorism.
The headline states: "Recognising a Palestinian state will lead to more terrorism, instability in the region and jeopardise any prospects for peace. Don't be a pawn in the hands of Hamas."
In the 35-second video, the script declares: "Ireland: The possibility of recognising a Palestinian state risks turning you into a pawn of Iran and Hamas."
It continues: "Such a move will only strengthen Hamas and weaken an already dysfunctional Palestinian Authority. The fact that Hamas leaders are thanking you should serve as a wake-up call."
The video concludes by saying: "Your actions will only fuel extremism and instability.
"Progress can only be achieved by direct negotiations within a wider regional context. Don't be pawns in the hands of Hamas. Say no to recognition."
A spokesman for the Irish Government said: "We have been very clear. Hamas is not the Palestinian people.
He added: "Hamas is a terrorist organisation that we utterly condemn. Ireland will recognise the state of Palestine shortly in order to keep the two state peace solution alive.
"We continue to see a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and again call for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and for aid to flow."
Recognizing a Palestinian state will lead to more terrorism, instability in the region and jeopardize any prospects for peace.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 21, 2024
Don't be a pawn in the hands of Hamas. pic.twitter.com/81f7Gxweol
In a statement jointly signed on 22 March, former taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his Spanish, Maltese and Slovenian counterparts said they had discussed their "readiness to recognise Palestine and said that we would do so when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right".
Currently, eight EU member states recognise the State of Palestine, the most recent being Sweden in 2014.
However, the Taoiseach contended that Ireland's plan to recognise the State of Palestine before the end of the month was not unilateral and said: "Ireland is working with a number of like-minded countries in relation to this.
When asked if the Irish move could lead to a break in diplomatic relations with Israel, Mr Harris said: "Certainly Ireland doesn't wish to sever diplomatic relations. You can strongly disagree with a country. You can differentiate between the government of a country and the people of a country."
He repeated that Ireland's position on Gaza is "very straightforward and very consistent and said: "We need to see an immediate cessation of violence, we need to see unimpeded and unhindered access to humanitarian aid because there is a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in front of our eyes."
Mr Harris added: "We need to see a two-state solution. In order to see a two-state solution and to help bring one about you have to recognise the very existence of two states. In the coming days Ireland intends to do just that."
Former Israeli PM says move would be a mistake
Meanwhile, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has said it would be a mistake if Ireland declared Palestine a state.
Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News, he said: "If I could advise the Irish Government not to do it..."
He added that he was in favour of a two-state solution, but if there was recognition of an independent Palestinian state without negotiations with Israel then "the Palestinians will never negotiate with Israel anymore".
"It will not advance the chances of creating a Palestinian state, it will block the chances of communication and negotiations, which I am very much in favour of, and I think that the Israeli government should be in favour of.
"And I think that we have to do everything in our power to force the Israeli government and to the Palestinian leadership to agree to embark on negotiations to reach such an agreement for a two-state solution..."
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Israel has urged "nations of the civilised world" to oppose the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor's request for arrest warrants against its leaders and to declare they would ignore the warrants.
Mr Olmert said he is on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's side because he is on "Israel's side".
"I think that this is a major mistake. First, I do not think that there has been any serious evidence that justifies the issue of arrest warrant against Netanyahu and the Minister for Defence Gallant.
"But to bind them together with the two murders and killers of a terrorist organisation, by definition, a terrorist organisation such as Hamas..."
He said the attempt to create an equivalence between the two is "absolutely degusting".
Mr Olmert said he did not know if Hamas could be eradicated.
"I do not think there is much more to do in terms of fighting, and therefore I advocated in stopping the war and bringing back the hostages.
"The hostages are still held by Hamas, and they need to be back and if what needs to be done in order to bring them back is to end the war, I am absolutely in favour of stopping the war right now."
