Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, said that she will not be attending St Patrick’s Day celebrations at the White House because of President Donald Trump’s stance on Gaza.
On March 17, political leaders from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland traveled to the United States annually for the celebration of Irish culture.
O’Neill, who spoke at a Dublin press conference with Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of her Sinn Fein Party, said: “We’re all heartbroken when we see the suffering of Palestinians and the recent remarks of the U.S. president around the mass expulsion from Gaza of Palestinians, something I can’t ignore.”
The decision to not travel to the White House was not taken lightly. We are all aware of our responsibility to speak out against injustice.
Trump announced on February 4, a plan for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians who live there. This is a major shift in U.S. diplomatic efforts that have been centered on a two-state solution.
Ireland is sending Prime Minister Micheal Martin to the White House celebrations. Martin said earlier this month he would raise “a broad range of issues” with the U.S. president.
About 11% of Irish employees are employed by foreign multinationals owned primarily by the United States. The funding of public services depends heavily on the tax paid by these companies. Three large U.S. corporations account for one out of every eight euro collected in Ireland.