Simon Harris meets Joe Biden at White House with focus on Middle East war and Irish-US relations
The day's main event was supposed to be a reception in the Rose Garden in the White House. However, President Biden postponed this event as Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida. Mr Harris still travelled to Washington to meet President Biden in the
Taoiseach Simon Harris met US President Joe Biden for half an hour in the Oval Office tonight with the war in the Middle East dominating the agenda. Mr Biden invited the Taoiseach to Washington DC to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the US. America was the first country in the world to recognise Ireland.
The day's main event was supposed to be a reception in the Rose Garden in the White House. However, President Biden postponed this event as Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida.
As they sat down in the Oval Office, President Biden apologised for the cancellation of the “big celebration” that was supposed to take place in the Rose Garden.
Mr Harris still travelled to Washington to meet President Biden in the Oval Office for a 30-minute bi-lateral meeting. Speaking to the media this morning, the Taoiseach vowed to raise the Middle East and the impact of the war in Gaza with President Biden. However, stopped short of committing to ask the US President to stop funding Israeli arms. This is despite being asked five times.
READ MORE: Hurricane Milton landfall in Irish time as Florida webcam LIVE streams Category 5 killer storm
READ MORE: Taoiseach stops short of committing to ask Biden to stop arming Israel
He stressed that he would speak about the war “through the lens of what it must be like to be a child”, stating that the piercing “cry of a child is a universal language.” He said that “every country in the world should be using every lever at its disposal to help bring about a ceasefire” and this will mean “different things” for different countries.
He confirmed that the Attorney General will brief Irish political leaders on Irish-Israeli trade and the Occupied Territories Bill next week. He said: “It's up to the United States to determine what more it can do. Ireland's foreign policy is proudly independent. Alongside that recognition of being an independent state, we can have an independent foreign policy.
"We don't have to align or agree on every single issue. I'm crystal clear on the position of the Governments that I lead and on the position of the people of Ireland in terms of a view that more must be done. “
Asked again if he would tell President Biden that arming Israel is objectionable to Ireland, Mr Harris once again did not directly answer but stated that “if anybody's doing anything that is continuing to aid more, that is not consistent with the Irish position. President Biden understands the Irish position”.
He added that everyone has to “look at every lever at its disposal”, including the supply of arms. “We're always honest with friends and Ireland considers the United States of America to be a friend,” Mr Harris said.
“There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that President Biden wants to see a ceasefire. He has said that so many times. He said it to me as recently as Monday on the phone. He said it publicly. Secretary of State [Anthony] Blinken has been to the region countless times. There is no doubt in my mind that the European Union wants to see a ceasefire.
"But, so far, all of those efforts have been ineffective in terms of bringing about a ceasefire. What I will say – and I don't have my conversations with President Biden publicly. What I say to absolutely everybody is, ‘If everybody wants a ceasefire and the world has failed to bring about a ceasefire. What more can be done?’
Mr Harris is in Washington DC to mark 100 years of Irish-US relations. Due to the onset of Hurricane Milton in Florida, President Biden postponed a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House to celebrate the anniversary. Other events, including the meeting with President Biden in the Oval Office, will take place. He denied that the trip was a “waste of taxpayer money”, stating that the only thing that had been “scaled back were the canopies”.
The Taoiseach also responded to comments from Donald Trump’s former advisor Matthew RJ Brodsky who said that Israel should “drop napalm” over Irish peacekeeping troops in Lebanon” in a now-deleted social media post. Mr Harris said: “Isn't that just the most disgusting thing you can possibly have heard? Disgusting and inappropriate.”
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