Source: Irishexaminer“If we were to expel their ambassador they would expel ours.”
Leo Varadkar has responded to calls from opposition TD's to expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland.
The calls come in the wake of the brutal violence witnessed in Gaza on Monday, where almost 60 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,700 injured by Israeli forces.
Speaking today, the Taoiseach said he was profoundly shocked by the death toll.
“There is no indication that the scale of the threat could have justified such violence and so many deaths.
“Live ammunition is not a tool to be used for crowd control in our view.''
Violence in GazaMr. Varadkar then responded to the growing calls for the expulsion of the ambassador to Israel:
“The Government will not be expelling the ambassador at this time.
In fact in recent decades, if ever, Ireland has never expelled an ambassador.
That is not the way we believe we should engage with other states.''
“If we were to expel their ambassador they would expel ours,'' he added.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney held a meeting with the Israeli ambassador on Tuesday morning to discuss the conflict.
Mr Varadkar said the ambassador was told of Ireland’s “outrage” and desire for an independent international investigation lead by the UN into the deaths.
The fallout continues.
