First Minister of Northern Ireland: Hamas will eventually become partner for peace in Middle East

Hamas will eventually become a partner for peace in the Middle East, Michelle O’Neill, the new First Minister of Northern Ireland, has said.

In an interview with Andrew Marr on LBC radio, Ms O’Neill, the Sinn Fein vice president, said the example of the Northern Ireland peace process proved how important dialogue was in ending conflict.

She called for a ceasefire in the Israeli war of genocide on Gaza, and declared Gaza a “graveyard for children”, saying: “Let it not be the graveyard for international law”.

Mr Marr asked Ms O’Neill: “A long time ago, the IRA was seen as a terrorist organization that the British government and everybody else could not ever talk to, and yet we know what followed from that.

“Do you think that Hamas, although regarded as a terrorist organization by many people around the world, are going to be eventually a partner for peace, have to be a partner for peace?”

She said: “Yes – I think you only have to look to our own example to know that how important dialogue is, and it is the only way you’re going to ever bring an end to conflict.

“If the British government didn’t talk to republicans or republicans didn’t talk to the British government in the past, in Ireland we would not be in the scenario that we are in today, enjoying a peaceful and far more equal society.

“So, what we need to see in the Middle East, in particular in relation to Palestine, is that we need to see a ceasefire now. And we need the international community to be singing in chorus and harmony in terms of ceasefire now.”

Sinn Fein has historically been supportive of Palestinians, drawing parallels to their struggle with a larger, occupying power and the struggle for independence.