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Fractious Irish-Israeli relations highlighted by response to Varadkar tweet on Emily Hand

Taoiseach’s comments that Emily Hand was ‘lost’ prompts a bitter diplomatic row with Israel

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen claims Leo Varadkar is 'trying to legitimise and normalise terror' for using the word 'lost' in relation to returned hostage Emily Hand (9). Photograph: Pierre Albouy/AFP via Getty Images
Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen claims Leo Varadkar is 'trying to legitimise and normalise terror' for using the word 'lost' in relation to returned hostage Emily Hand (9). Photograph: Pierre Albouy/AFP via Getty Images
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Arthur Beesley Current Affairs Editor
Mon Nov 27 2023 - 06:00

Emily Hand’s release from Hamas captivity has prompted a bitter diplomatic row with Israel after Leo Varadkar said “an innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned”.

In an intervention that says more about Dublin’s fractious relations with Tel Aviv than the Taoiseach’s actual remarks, Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen claimed Varadkar was “trying to legitimise and normalise terror” for using the word “lost” in relation to the little girl.

This comes in the eighth week of a war in which the gulf between Ireland and Israel has only widened.

Dublin has long been an advocate for a two-state solution to the Middle East imbroglio, standing by that imperative as the peace process failed and hopes for a political settlement fade.

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But that stance in favour of Palestinian claims has fuelled Israeli sentiment that Ireland is soft on the murderous actions of Hamas.

Cohen has now gone so far as to imply Varadkar has given succour to the militants after they killed 1,200 Israelis on October 7th and took 240 hostages. More than 14,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to Gaza authorities.

“Mr Prime Minister,” wrote Cohen in a tweet on social media site X, not using the correct term for the Taoiseach’s office. “It seems you have lost your moral compass and need a reality check! Emily Hand was not ‘lost’, she was kidnapped by a terror organisation worse than Isis that murdered her stepmother. Emily and more than 30 other Israeli children were taken hostage by Hamas.”

Cohen called “shame” on Varadkar, in effect claiming he turned a blind eye to the reality of Hamas violence, a most serious transgression if true. He went on to summon Irish Ambassador to Israel Sonya McGuinness to his ministry for a “reprimand”.

The rebuke stirred annoyance in Dublin. The Taoiseach insisted he was consistent in his “unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and hostage-taking”. Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he was “genuinely surprised”. Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty, hardly a Varadkar friend, said the reaction was “disgraceful” and accused Israel of “deflection”.

Cohen’s response is seen as a blatant distortion. Varadkar, who condemned the October 7th attack as “appalling”, said there was “enormous joy and relief” for the Hand family. “Our prayers have been answered.”

A timeline of events looks at the case of Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand, who has been reunited with her father after being released from Gaza.

Even that was turned against him by Israeli spokesman Eylon Levy, belittling Irish efforts to secure Emily Hand’s release: “This explains the extent of Ireland’s contribution: prayers.”

The offending Varadkar remarks, drawing on biblical language, were from a longer statement. His next sentence, not tweeted, said “a little girl was snatched from her home and held captive for almost seven weeks”.

Cohen ignored that, just as he failed to acknowledge Varadkar’s rejection of Opposition demands to expel Israeli ambassador Dana Erlich.

The rebuke reflects displeasure at Ireland’s accusation of Israeli “collective punishment” and international law breaches. Although Israel sees itself in a “civilisational” battle, Varadkar casts it as “something approaching revenge”.

These are potshots in a rhetorical war. The real war is the problem.