Cairns hits back at Israeli ambassador accusations

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has refuted claims made by Israeli ambassador Dana Ehrlich that the party “discriminated” against a candidate with Israeli citizenship.

Last week, it was announced that the party dropped prospective candidate Orli Degani after Degani reportedly expressed concern about the usage of the Gaza flag at party events.

Degani will now run as an independent in Dún Laoghaire in June, while the Social Democrats will run law student Hugo Quinn in her place.

Degani, who is a German citizen with Israeli citizenship, said that Jewish people are feeling “more and more unwelcome and unsafe in Ireland and in Dún Laoghaire,” following the events of recent months.

“I was, and still am, concerned about people feeling like they need to hide their identity when they are walking around town, children feeling unsafe and bullied in local schools and universities, and about people online & offline using rhetoric that might eventually lead to violence.”

Ehrlich accused the party of “discrimination,” in a statement to the Irish Independent, saying “it appears she been discriminated against because of her nationality.”

Cairns hit back against the claims, saying she “strongly rejects” the accusations.

“If the Ambassador had contacted the party before making her remarks, she would have been told that the candidate was deselected after a number of failed attempts to resolve issues. Those efforts extended to hiring an external mediator as well as an internal review by our National Executive.”

“There was nothing discriminatory, or unfair, about the process,” she asserted.

“It’s clear that the Israeli ambassador has made this scurrilous and false allegation to deflect from the bigger, and much more important, issue of the more than 34,000 people now killed in Gaza by the Israeli government. Included in this number are more than 14,000 dead children.”

Cairns said it is “outrageous” that Ehrlich still carries out ambassadorial roles in Ireland, dubbing her “an apologist for war crimes.”

“The Social Democrats have a very clear and strong position on the genocide in Gaza. There must be an immediate ceasefire; the hostages must be returned; there must be accountability for war crimes; and there must be economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel.

“The Social Democrats remain absolutely committed to standing with the people of Gaza. We vehemently oppose the genocide, torture and famine being inflicted on them by an apartheid and ruthless occupying state.”