St Patrick's Day: SDLP leader to boycott White House celebrations

Colum Eastwood says he "could not rub shoulders, drink Guinness and have the craic"

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said he "cannot in good conscience" attend the White House's St Patrick's Day celebrations because of the US response to the Israel-Gaza war.

Instead, the SDLP will send a delegation to Washington "to make the case for an end to violence".

Hamas killed about 1,200 people in attacks on Israel on 7 October.

More than 26,000 Palestinians have died in Israel's retaliatory attacks, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says.

More than 240 Israelis were taken hostage on 7 October; about 130 remain missing, believed to be being held in Gaza.

'Heinously deficient'

Mr Eastwood described the response of the international community to the conflict as "heinously deficient".

The US administration's response was "particularly atrocious", he added.

"The scenes of destruction and annihilation in Gaza represent, in my view, a clear act of genocide," he said, in a statement.

Last week, judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel must take all measures to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza.

The ICJ delivered the interim ruling in South Africa's genocide case against Israel, but the UN's top court stopped short of ordering an immediate ceasefire.

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On Sunday, Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee voiced support for Ireland joining South Africa's challenge, but acknowledged the Irish government needed time to study all aspects of the case.

"Personally I would like us to," she told RTÉ Radio One.

"I am very much aware that we need to do so on a correct legal basis. I mean, what you are doing essentially is accusing another country of genocide. You need to know the facts."

Following the interim ruling, Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin said the government would "strongly consider" an intervention in South Africa's case and he has asked his legal team to produce a report.

He added there will be engagement with "like-minded countries" on this.

'Duty to be honest'

Mr Eastwood said Ireland and the US have "forged one of the warmest and most enduring international relationships", and it is because of this he believes there is a "duty to be honest with our friends... especially when we think they're wrong".

He added: "I could not rub shoulders, drink Guinness, and have the craic while the horrifying impacts of the brutal war in Gaza continue. It would be the very opposite of solidarity with a people on the brink of destruction."

Politicians from the island of Ireland traditionally visit Washington DC for the 17 March celebrations, with the taoiseach (Irish prime minister) hosted by the US president in the White House.

'No easy answer'

Mr Eastwood said each political leader "will have to take their own decision on how they approach St Patrick's Day".

"I am offering no criticism of anyone else," he added.

"There is no easy answer to any of this."

Politicians from the island of Ireland traditionally visit Washington DC on St Patrick's Day

Some Irish politicians have been urged by pro-Palestinian activists to boycott this year's Washington event over US support for Israel.

Last week, Sinn Féin's deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said her party would not boycott the trip. Instead they intend to use it to advocate for an end to violence.

The party had previously called for the expulsion of Israel's ambassador to Ireland, but the motion was rejected in the Irish parliament.

'Pursuit of peace'

"We are going to the US in pursuit of peace, continuing to work with the Irish diaspora and US representatives to promote and strengthen the support for the peace process at home and Irish reunification," Ms O'Neill told the PA news agency.

"We will also advocate for an end to the Israeli genocidal war and occupation in Gaza and the West Bank, for the establishment of a peace process in Palestine and self-determination for the Palestinian people.

"In doing so, we will fulfil our promise to the Palestinian ambassador and the Palestinian people."

Mr Martin has also said it would be inappropriate to boycott the celebrations.

"The idea that Ireland would just retreat from any engagement to me doesn't make sense," he said.

The Irish government will persist in its dialogue and engagement with other nations, he added, with an aim of escalating international pressure and bringing an end to the violence in the Middle East.

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Meanwhile, the Irish government has said there are "no plans" to suspend funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

It comes after the agency announced the sacking of several of its staff over allegations they were involved in the 7 October Hamas attacks.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Martin said he has "full confidence" in the agency's commission-general and its internal investigation.

The Republic of Ireland provided the agency with €18m (£15.4m) in 2023 and "will continue our support in 2024", Mr Martin added.

The UK government, which paused funding on Saturday, said it was "appalled" by Israel's allegations.

The US, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France and Germany have also suspended additional funding to the agency.

Mr Martin told RTÉ News he believes those countries acted "prematurely" and that an entire population should not be punished because of the alleged actions of some workers.

Created in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, is the biggest UN agency operating in Gaza.

It provides health care, education and other humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It employs about 13,000 people inside Gaza.

Correction 13th February: This article wrongly reported that about 1,300 people had been killed following the 7th October attack by Hamas. This was based on counting those who later died from their injuries in addition to the figure of more than 1,200. The article has been amended to now refer to about 1,200 deaths, a figure which includes those deaths and which Israel says is not final.