US politicians should not be welcome in the Dáil after standing to applaud a ‘butcher like Benjamin Netanyahu,’ People Before Profit has said.

The party is protesting against plans to make the chamber available for an upcoming meeting between TDs and US politicians.

PBP TD Bríd Smith is calling for the plan to be dropped – insisting that the US needs to be shown the level of anger many people in Ireland feel about its support for Israel.

“We’re in the middle of the worst genocide we’ve seen for many decades in the world,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“Benjamin Netanyahu recently visited the United States Congress and received a standing ovation several times. 

“It was quite shocking that he went there with the hand out looking for more funding to ‘finish off the job’ as he said in Gaza after 300 days of genocide.

“I don’t see why people who stand for a butcher like this in their own Congress should be welcomed in our [Oireachtas].” 

WATCH: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Address Before a Joint Meeting of the US Congresshttps://t.co/C1X0gzgnqG

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 25, 2024

Former Irish Ambassador Daniel Mulhall said he too is appalled at US support for Israel and believes Washington should do more to “to rein in” Netanyahu. 

Despite this, he said America remains one of Ireland’s “most important international partners” – noting that the country provided vital support during the peace process and Brexit negotiations.

“I don’t know who is coming exactly on this delegation but I can imagine they will be some of our most loyal and strongest friends in the US Congress,” he said. 

“People that we will need to turn to the next time there is a crisis.” 

Mr Mulhall said a better approach would be to invite them to the Oireachtas and instead challenge them to do more to support the people of Gaza. 

“[Banning them] would have only one effect; it would offend them and some of our firmest friends in the United States… would therefore be offended,” he said.

“It would have no effect on anything other than our relationship with these friends of Ireland.

“What we should be doing, frankly, is inviting them in and talking to them… urging them to put more pressure on the [Biden] Administration to take more vigorous action to rein in Israel.”

Leo Varadkar presents US President Joe Biden with the traditional St Patrick's Day bowl of shamrock. Picture by: Marty Katz

Deputy Smith said the Brexit negotiations were absolutely nothing like the current situation in Gaza, in which tens of thousands of people have died. 

“What’s happening in Gaza is disproportionate to everything else that has happened, both in this country and elsewhere,” she said. 

“The truth is that the American State is arming the Israeli State. 

“Without [America’s] ‘ironclad support’ to Benjamin Netanyahu, this war in Gaza would end.” 

Since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th, an estimated 39,000 Palestinians have died. 

Israel denies accusations of genocide and describes its actions as motivated by self-defence.

Main image: TD Bríd Smith on the Dáil plinth. Picture by: Leah Farrell/RollingNews