Israel becoming isolated over ‘disproportionate, shocking’ actions in Gaza, says Taoiseach

Israel is “increasingly becoming isolated” over its “excessive, disproportionate” military actions in Gaza, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said in New York ahead of an address to the United Nations on Thursday.Martin is due to concentrate on international conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan in his speech at the General Assembly on Thursday evening. He will speak just hours after Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu addresses the UN.A procession of world leaders have this week condemned Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza. It opened with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres warning of “ethnic cleansing” in the West Bank.“Well, I think there is a sense that Israel is increasingly becoming isolated. Whether that impacts Israeli society or not remains to be seen,” Martin said when asked if the chorus of international condemnation would make any difference to Netanyahu.READ MORE“A year or two ago, if you recall, Ireland, Norway and Spain were the first three that could come together to recognise the state of Palestine. Then last year came the New York Declaration. Then others came on board but it’s all too slow, nonetheless. I do think what is happening this week can have an impact and that a lot of meetings that occur outside the formal speeches can have an impact.”The Taoiseach added: “I spoke at length with Jordan this week and got a very good sense of the situation on the ground from them.“Jordan has been prevented from getting aid into Gaza because of events which happened last year, but it’s all really excessive, disproportionate, shocking tactics being deployed by the Israeli government.”Speaking at the United Nations headquarters, Martin said global volatility was also having an impact on domestic energy costs in Ireland.He acknowledged that fuel and home-heating costs are the “critical” issue facing families this winter and repeated that the budget will reflect that.An Irish Times/Ipsos poll this week found that budgetary supports with energy costs is a top priority for voters.“Well, I think you’ve heard me commenting over the last week on those issues,” Martin said.“The energy issue is critical and is creating huge pressure on families. So, we’re going to look at a range of measures to try and help people and alleviate the pressures they are under in respect on energy costs and energy pricing, both from the home-heating perspective and also the whole petrol and diesel situation. We have to look at a comprehensive package that at least helps ease the burden on families.”Addressing discontent with proposed changes that would extend Irish citizenship application timelines from five to eight years of residency, Martin promised that the Government will be “fair” in its decision-making.“We will wait for the ministers to come back in terms of that and we will be fair,” he said. “On the other hand, there was a situation where some people coming through the asylum process, for a combination of reasons, some being the slowness of the administration of applications, and all the appeals, but many ended up in a legal situation and before you knew it, people were five years in the country and claiming citizenship. That does happen too.”