Former President Mary Robinson has spoken of feeling “ashamed” as an EU citizen towards its approach to Israel over the war in Gaza.
“I feel a bit ashamed as an EU citizen that the EU that speaks about human rights, that talks the talk cannot bring itself” she said as she described her frustration that the EU-Israel trade deal has not been suspended.
Speaking on The Late Late Show, Ms Robinson said while the European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen has said the EU should suspend it, “we still haven’t got there”.
“It is quite disturbing at this stage,” she said.
Ms Robinson said other countries are ” complicit and not doing enough” in allowing a “deliberate famine” to take place.
She said the situation is “a failure of political will” as she outlined the influence of President Donald Trump.
“It is on the table to have a resolution,” the former president said as she urged for all levers to be used.
“The real levers are to stop the armaments completely. And, of course, the United States would be the big country that could do that. But some European countries should also stop the armaments and also the trade.”
Ms Robinson referred to the New York declaration at the UN General Assembly and spoke about “isolating two countries, the US and Israel as responsible for a famine and an unfolding genocide.
“Is that the legacy that people want in those countries?”
She said the more isolated the US becomes, it may lead to a view that ” we have to move on this.”
“I feel very sorry in many ways for the people of Israel” she also said.
” It is an extremist government led by a bad Prime Minister. Netanyahu doesn’t want to make peace. It is a very sad situation because the Israeli people are very traumatised by the terrible attacks of 7 October 2023.”
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She said many are calling for peace and a peace process is on the table.
Ms Robinson also made reference to the famine in Gaza while reflecting on the importance of helping to support the most vulnerable.
She said as President she marked the memory of the famine in Ireland and in 1997 she went to Oklahoma to thank the Choctaw people for helping the famine victims in 1847 by sending money.
“That is the world we have to still believe in. The humanitarian values. We have it in our DNA.”
The former president said she hears from a lot of leaders around the world of gratitude towards Ireland and she is proud of what the country has done.