Catherine Connolly says both Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes

Vivienne Clarke

Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has condemned both Israel and Hamas for committing war crimes and said that both sides will have to be held to account.

There cannot be a peaceful solution in Palestine unless both sides disarm. It was important to stop the genocide in Palestine, she told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

Ms Connolly said she “utterly condemned” the actions of Hamas on October 7th, and also said that Israel was "out of control" and acting as a terrorist state.

“Every country has a right to self determine what they do, what type of government they have.”

Hamas had been elected to represent the people of Palestine in the last election. “They are part of the civil society of Palestine. We're reliant on them for figures in relation to the deaths.”

When asked if she accepted that Hamas was a terrorist organisation, Ms Connolly said that Israel had also been designated a terrorist state.

“Both have to sit down at some stage. I mean, let's look at what Israel are doing and call it out for what it is. They're absolutely out of control.

“Both sides have committed war crimes and hopefully both sides will be held to account. But history did not start on the 7th of October and at some stage parties outside of Palestine and Israel must begin to look at what has led to this conflict and how it can be resolved and resolved it must be.

"In the meantime the slaughter is going on, and the genocide is going on.

“Both sides have to disarm. We know that from the conflict in Northern Ireland. We know from Columbia. We know that from all countries. We cannot have a peaceful resolution without disarmament.”

Ms Connolly said she wanted Palestinians to make the decision about their future.

“They have a right to self-determination. They have the right to decide what type of government they want. There are lots of governments that I don't agree with.

"There are a lot of countries that I do not agree with in the way they treat women or men. But each country has a right to decide themselves.”

Asked if Nato shared any blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ms Connolly responded that nobody had condemned the Israeli attacks on Iran and Qatar.

On the topic of a United Ireland, Ms Connolly said she had repeatedly visited Northern Ireland in a number of capacities and had met groups “from both sides of the divide”. She denied that her interest in the North and a united Ireland was “new found”.

When asked to expand on her vision of a united Ireland, she said that she would invite people from all sides to the Aras. As president her role would be to articulate Article 3 of the Constitution which addressed the concept of a united Ireland.

The cross border structures were already in place, she said. Great work had been done about bridging the divisions. She had an open mind about what could happen, but it would have to be done with consent and respect to all traditions.

Everybody would have to be involved in drafting a new constitution.

Ms Connolly said she would serve only one term if elected as president.