Eight senators and two TDs are registered as members of the Oireachtas Friends of Israel group. It comprises six Fianna Fáil members, three Fine Gael members and one independent.
Member and Fianna Fáil senator Ned O'Sullivan told The Ditch he thinks media reports about the Israel-Gaza conflict have a “clear imbalance” and that Hamas “is primarily responsible for the suffering people are enduring”.
Another member of the group, Fianna Fáil senator Malcolm Byrne, told The Ditch, “I was invited to join the Israel Parliamentary friendship group in 2020 as I did the Palestinian one. I was at one meeting in 2020 or 2021 but I am not aware if the group was still in operation.”
Eight senators, two TDs
The Oireachtas Friends of Israel group was inactive from 2016 until 2022 until several politicians, among them junior minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, reestablished it. MacNeill says she left the group after being appointed minister of state.
In February 2022 the group hosted a talk by former Israel Defence Forces member Yoseph Haddad, who has called on the Israeli government to “break” the civilian population of Gaza and dismissed reports of famine in the region. During his speech in the Oireachtas, Hadadd accused Amnesty International of ‘lies’ for claiming that Israel is an apartheid state and suggested opposition to his presence was motivated by antisemitism.
The current members of the Oireachtas group are Fianna Fáil senators Malcolm Byrne, Diarmuid Wilson, Aidan Davitt, Erin McGreehan and Ned O'Sullivan, as well as TD John Lahart. Fine Gael is represented by senators Paddy Burke and Tim Lombard along with TD John Paul Phelan. The sole independent member is senator Gerry Craughwell.
Malcolm Byrne told The Ditch, “I have long been consistent in my views seeking an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages. A long-term strategy is required to ensure peace and security for the peoples of Palestine and Israel. The actions of the Netanyahu government are horrific and they must be held to account.” He further suggested the purpose of Parliamentary Friendship Groups is to “promote discussion and understanding” between parliamentarians of different jurisdictions.
Aidan Davitt, Fianna Fáil's spokesperson for public expenditure and reform, is the convenor of the group. He told the The Ditch that ceann comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl appointed him chair two years ago.
“Israel is a democratic state and the friendship group is a conduit of the Oireachtas by which we can keep communication lines open,” he said. “I feel that it is very important that we keep diplomatic relations open. I, along with members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, also met the Palestinian ambassador and expressed our hope and support for a ceasefire and two state solution.”
Senator Ned O'Sullivan told The Ditch, ‘I have utmost sympathy for the innocent citizens of Gaza. I believe Hamas to be an evil terrorist organisation who are the main culprits for all the suffering people are enduring.”
Asked by The Ditch if any action by the Israeli state would lead him to reconsider his membership, O'Sullivan said, "One always remains open to change but I believe that it’s right for Irish politicians to reach out to the Jewish community in Ireland at a time when antisemitism is on the rise and young children are afraid to go to school.”
Gerard Craughwell defended his membership.
"Despite my personal feelings watching the sickening slaughter of innocent people by Netanyahu and his henchmen, keeping lines of communication open is vitally important," Craughwell said. He also said he has used his position in other friendship groups to advocate for Irish citizens.
Senator Erin McGreehan, who called for president Michael D Higgins to resign unless he apologised for a public letter about the Russian invasion of Ukraine his wife wrote, wouldn’t comment on her membership of the pro-Israel group. Other members of the group also declined to comment when contacted by The Ditch.
