President Michael D Higgins' speech at a Holocaust Memorial event in Dublin was "insulting", according to the father of a former Hamas hostage.

A number of protesters walked out during the President's speech at the Holocaust Memorial Day event yesterday.

Other protesters who turned their backs to President Higgins were physically removed from the venue.

Members of the Jewish community had asked the President not to speak, as they said he would politicise the event.

Father of a former Hamas hostage Tom Hand told Newstalk Breakfast that President Higgins’ speech was “insulting”.

“The whole idea is to remember the genocide of six million Jews - and others – and it’s not a time to be lecturing the Jews or Israel on anything political,” he said.

“For [the protesters] to basically stand up and turn their back, it’s just saying, ‘I don’t want to hear that from you’ - it’s just the wrong place, the wrong time.

“I’ve been to Auschwitz and Birkenau last year for the March of the Living and no politician from Israel or anywhere else came on stage because it’s not a political issue.”

Irish President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina with Holocaust survivors Suzi Diamond (left) and Tomi Reichenthal (second left) as they arrive at a Holocaust Memorial Day event at the Mansion House in Dublin. Picture date: Sunday January 26, 2025. Image: PA Images / Alamy

Mr Hand said the decision not to invite Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland to speak at the event was further insulting.

“How can you have a remembrance day for the anniversary of the killing of Jews with no representative from the Jewish community, for Israel?” he said.

“If it wasn’t so tragic it would be funny, but that’s the way the world is with us, especially Israel and Ireland now.”

Diplomatic relations

According to Mr Hand, diplomatic relations between Ireland and Israel are “not great”.

“The Irish Government is very aware of what happened on the 7th of October,” he said.

“My daughter, kidnapped for 50 days, eight-year-old child into Gaza.

“The horrific, heinous acts that they committed on that day and recorded with their GoPro's - it’s available what they did exactly.

“Months later for a Government, a country, to then acknowledge Palestine is basically a reward – again, very, very insulting.”

Emily Hand and Tom Hand in the One Day in October documentary. Image: Channel 4/Richard Ansett

Mr Hand said the Palestinian people are suffering as a result of their own actions.

“They started a war and they knew exactly what would happen in return, the retaliation,” he said.

“Unfortunately, because of the Hamas terrorist government organisation they are going to suffer, and they knew they were going to suffer.

“Not the Hamas themselves – they can go underground to their tunnels – but they left the civilian population up there to take the brunt of it.”

Palestinian health authorities have said Israel's ground and air campaign in Gaza have killed more than 46,600 people, with just over half of identified victims being women, children or older people.

Mr Hand said his daughter Emily is recovering “very well” from her time held hostage.

Main image: President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina accompanied by Finance minister Paschal Donohoe arriving at a Holocaust Memorial Day event at the Mansion House in Dublin. Picture date: Sunday January 26, 2025. Image: PA Images / Alamy