Khaberni - The local parliament in Northern Ireland intends to vote on a no-confidence motion against Education Minister Paul Givan, following his visit to Israel.
The parties supporting the no-confidence motion stated that "the minister misused his department's resources to disseminate photos of his visit to a school in Jerusalem". Teacher unions criticized this move and called for the removal of the press release related to the visit from the ministry's website.
The Education Minister said that "the Permanent Secretary of his department and other senior officials conducted a review of his activities during the visit", adding that they "concluded that all procedures were completely correct, and that their actions were appropriate".
The minister, from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), was part of a group of unionist politicians who participated in a six-day visit organized by the Israeli government.
The BBC revealed that Education Minister Paul Givan's trip to Israel cost the Israeli government about 4,000 British pounds, covering expenses including flights, accommodation, meals, and transportation, amounting to a total of 3,810 British pounds, paid by the Israeli Embassy in London.
About two months ago, Irish media revealed that the Irish government intended to approve a trade ban with the Israeli occupation in the occupied Palestinian territories, despite ongoing American pressure to prevent this move.
In May, Dublin joined Spain and Norway in recognizing the state of Palestine, in a move that drew sharp criticism from Israel.
In an interview with "RTE 1" radio, Irish President Michael Higgins called for the formation of a UN force to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
He emphasized the need to activate Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to overcome any potential veto in the Security Council, describing the situation in Gaza as a "tragic genocide representing an extraordinary moment in history".
Higgins, who is preparing to leave office after 14 years, stated that "a world without accountability" represents a serious threat to international democracy.
After serving two consecutive terms as President, Higgins will leave his position tomorrow, Tuesday, November 11, 2025, and he will be succeeded by leftist Catherine Connolly who won the recent presidential election, defeating her competitor Heather Humphreys, thus becoming the tenth president of the country.
