TUV slams Sinn Fein 'hypocrisy' over Paul Givan Israel trip - saying the party put a terrorist in the role
Sinn Fein delivering “hypocritical lectures” about a visit to Israel by Stormont’s education minister “takes some gall” – given it put Martin McGuinness in the role, the TUV says.
The party’s deputy leader Ron McDowell said the republican party had put “an actual terrorist” in the job, citing the former Sinn Fein leader’s IRA past.
The Belfast City councillor – who visited Israel along with Mr Givan – said: “This trip to Israel comes at no cost to the public of Northern Ireland and has presented those of us who took up the offer with a unique opportunity to build friendships and links with the only democracy in the Middle East.
“It takes some gall for Sinn Féin to criticise the education minister for visiting a school when they were the party who gave us an actual terrorist as an education minister in the form of Martin McGuinness.
“Let’s recall that McGuinness never distanced himself from the evil, blood-soaked terror of the IRA with even his headstone proudly proclaiming his allegiance to the most murderous terrorist organisation in Western Europe.
“While Sinn Féin deliver hypocritical lectures and abuse their position in the Executive to undermine the potential for jobs and investment in Northern Ireland from Israel, TUV will continue to reach out, engage and build opportunities for growth and cooperation.”
Sinn Féin has said it is “taking action to ensure the Education Minister is held to account” over the trip – saying he had “spent the last week rubbing shoulders with an Israeli regime responsible for genocide”.
The party’s South Down MP Chris Hazzard said in a video posted by the party that it is “absolutely grotesque that an education minister would feel that it's appropriate to be a guest of the Israeli regime and allowing himself to be used as a patsy for individuals who have international arrest warrants for crimes against humanity, including genocide”.
Mr Hazzard said “more than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza in the last two years alone. 500 teachers have been killed”. He said the actions of the minister – who is “meant to champion the very wellbeing of children” – have “undermined confidence in his judgment”.