By Eniola Amadu
The Chairman of Stormont’s Education Committee, Nick Mathison, has criticised Northern Ireland’s Education Minister’s trip to Israel saying it is a “propaganda mission”.
The member of the Legislative Assembly from the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, Mathison, stated that there is “questionable judgement” surrounding the trip because of Israel’s sponsorship.
Paul Givan who confirmed the sponsorship of the trip by the Israeli embassy, calling it a “fact finding mission” is among a group of unionist politicians who are on a six-day tour of Israel.
Mathison revealed to BBC Radio Ulster’s The Nolan Show states “one particular side of the story” saying “The fact that the voices of the people of Gaza are completely silent in anything we’re hearing from the education minister coming from Israel is very concerning.”
The delegation on the Israeli tour also includes Givan’s DUP colleague Sammy Wilson, Steve Aiken of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and Ron McDowell of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).
Recently, the photos of Givan and other politicians on tours to Holocaust National Memorial centre and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including meetings with Israeli victims of Hamas attacks have been released.
The Alliance Party member, Mathison noted that the “optics” of the photos are “quite a jarring image when we think of the absolute destruction that has been inflicted on the people of Gaza following those attacks on the 7 October.”
Meanwhile, the association representing Northern Ireland’s main teaching unions criticised Givan for his visit to Israel, during international condemnation of the country’s actions in Gaza.
The Department of Education (DE) stated that Givan was “invited by the government of Israel to participate in an official visit as part of a delegation of representatives from Northern Ireland” and encouraged the DE to maintain “political neutrality”.
The National Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers Dr. Graham Gault said the department “should not be putting out anything that can be perceived by anybody as leaning one political way or another”.
The department published the visit of Givan – a member of the Democratic Unionist Party – to Ofek School in Jerusalem on its social media accounts and official website confirming that Givan met the school’s staff and students “along with representatives of the Israeli Ministry of Education.
However, Mathison replied saying the trip to Ofek School is “where the concern really does begin to become more of an issue.”
“I think it’s really important in our system that we have clear lines between individual members, party political activities and their official roles if they hold an office such as minister and I think the lines have become very blurred here.
“I think that the idea that we should be there as guests of the Israeli government to hear what the message is that they wish to put out around this conflict, to me, is unacceptable,” he added.
