Speaking after a statement to the House of Commons by Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell, the DUP MP said,
“The horrific murder of Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee have brought renewed focus here in the UK on the impact of terrorism in the Middle East. It is right that we stand with Israel in the face of such attacks. That is a stance shared not just by the UK Government, but by the United States.
Unfortunately here in Northern Ireland there are those whose solution to the problems in the region is to support Hamas and advocate a boycott of Israeli goods. This is a core plank of Sinn Fein’s foreign policy stance yet strangely it isn’t something they tend to emphasise when touring the United States or the European Union. Unfortunately, it is also something which has escaped any real scrutiny here at home also.
Whether it is support for Hamas, or pro-Putin propaganda, it is telling that when faced with a choice, Sinn Fein all too often are found siding with dictators. Sinn Fein’s elevated political position must come with elevated political scrutiny, including beyond just domestic issues.
Standing with terrorists and calling for the Boycott of Israeli goods is abhorrent, and I am glad there was a clear response from the Minister today to this. Hopefully this will be followed by greater scrutiny of exactly what Sinn Fein’s foreign policy stance is.”