Coveney outburst at US envoy to Israel

SIMON Coveney has criticised the US ambassador to Israel for ‘provocative’ comments the diplomat made in a tweet about the Jewish festival Hanukkah.

In the tweet Ambassador David M Friedman hailed Jerusalem as the ‘ancient and modern capital of Israel’, saying: ‘Jewish patriots... purified the Holy Temple’ 2,000 years ago.

But the Foreign Affairs Minister said the tweet was ‘not helpful in creating the necessary environment of compromise’ amid ongoing efforts to restore peace in the troubled region.

Palestine claims Jerusalem as its capital but in a move condemned by the UN Donald Trump moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last December.

Mr Friedman tweeted yesterday: ‘More than 2000 years ago, Jewish patriots (Maccabees) captured Jerusalem, purified the Holy Temple and rededicated it as a house of Jewish worship. The UN can’t vote away the facts: Jerusalem is the ancient and modern capital of Israel. Happy Chanukah from this blessed city!’

Mr Coveney then replied: ‘U are working on a New Peace Initiative that we all hope will be fair, balanced and successful. But comments like this will be seen as provocative and biased. Not helpful in creating the necessary environment of compromise.’

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, marking the rededication of the temple, runs until December 10.