SINN FÉIN has said it will back a motion of no confidence in Education Minister Paul Givan after he visited Israel this week.
The DUP member was among a group of unionist politicians invited by the Israeli Government, with the Department of Education sharing an update from the trip on its social media accounts.
However, People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll has submitted a no confidence motion in Givan, saying the trip is whitewashing a state responsible for the murder of tens of thousands of children.
If the motion is accepted, it would require the signature of 30 MLAs to force a debate, although it would have no power to remove the minister.
Sinn Féin said it would back the motion, saying Givan's trip was 'totally inappropriate and… undermined public confidence in his ability to serve in office'.
The minister says he has been 'vilified' over the matter, with party leader Gavin Robinson saying he is 'going nowhere'.
'Politically motivated'
Announcing the motion of no confidence, Carroll said Givan's decision to go on the trip was 'tone deaf' given the impact Israel's attacks on Gaza have had on education and young people.
"At the end of 2024, 534 school buildings in Palestine were bombed or damaged by Israel," he said.
"Over 600,000 students in the region have been left without access to education and 20,000 children have been murdered by the Israeli war machine.
"The fact that the Minister deems it appropriate to visit Israel two years into its genocidal assault on Palestine shows he is completely tone deaf.
"The Department of Education has been actively promoting the Minister's visit, which is completely inappropriate.
"This trip is clearly politically motivated, as demonstrated by the fact that some of the most vocal Zionists in the Assembly and Belfast City Council have joined the Minister on this trip."
Carroll also criticised the timing of the visit, coming a week after the Education Authority said it was facing a £300m funding shortfall.
"The fact that the Minister and his colleagues set off on this junket just as the Education Authority revealed a £300m black hole in its budget adds further insult to injury," he added.
"I'm submitting an Assembly motion expressing no confidence in the Minister and calling on him to resign. I hope other parties will support this call."
'Inappropriate and unacceptable'
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey announced on Saturday that the party, which has 27 MLAs, would be backing the motion.
"The Education Minister's decision to travel to Israel and use departmental resources to promote that trip is both inappropriate and unacceptable," she said.
"In the past two years alone, Israel has murdered more than 20,000 children and 500 teachers and destroyed nearly every educational facility in Gaza.
"No Minister should associate themselves with Israel's genocide, ethnic cleansing, forced starvation and illegal occupation.
"Sinn Féin will support the motion of no confidence in Paul Givan when it comes before the Assembly."
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison, the party's spokesperson on education, said the trip was 'utterly shameful, and the Minister and his department have serious questions to answer'.
"It's extremely concerning that our Education Minister attended a trip funded by the Israeli state, knowing the atrocities its government has inflicted on Gaza," read a statement from Mathison on the party's Twitter/X feed.
Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty, the SDLP representative for West Belfast on Belfast City Council, attended a protest against the minister outside City Hall on Saturday.
"The message from City Hall today was loud and clear — Paul Givan must go!" he posted on Twitter/X.
"No Education Minister should travel to spread Israeli propaganda and visit occupied Palestinian land while thousands of children are being killed and schools destroyed.
"Solidarity with the people of Palestine – today and every day."
'Faux outrage'
Responding to the outcry last night, Givan released a statement accused the City Hall protestors of using an antisemitic chant.
"Over the past week, I have been vilified by those who have sought to call into question my character and my commitment to the people of Northern Ireland," he said.
"The very same people among whom, today in Belfast, were shouting the antisemitic chant 'From the river to the sea'.
"Sinn Féin, People Before Profit, the SDLP and Alliance are fooling no one. We can all see right through this smokescreen."
Meanwhile, DUP leader Robinson has said his colleague has his 'full support'.
"Paul Givan is going nowhere," he tweeted.
"Unionists will not be bullied by the whims of the Pan-Republican front.
"I choose who serves as a DUP Minister and whatever about the faux outrage and petty politicking, Paul has my full support."
See More: Paul Givan, People Before Profit
