MMA metonym Conor McGregor vocally expressed his disappointment in the Prime Minister of Ireland for what he perceives as ‘diluting’ the abduction case of a young Irish-Israeli girl and her subsequent release by Hamas militants this Saturday.
He did not hold back in his scathing criticism, referring to Prime Minister Leo Varadkar as an ’embarrassment’ after the latter referred to the child’s terrifying ordeal as ‘misplaced’ and ‘recovered’.
‘She fell into the hands of a wicked terrorist group,’ lamented the UFC star on X, ‘Why is it that you, your administration, and your sponsored press persist in minimizing or trying to suppress dreadful incidents involving children? You have let us down.’
I might even become an MMA fan after this. Conor McGregor completely feckin nails it. @LeoVaradkar is utter ****hole As @simonmontefiore put it, what did the muppet think young Emily was doing, playing hide and seek? #HamasISIS https://t.co/qmE6st9DY8
— Malcolm Pein (@TelegraphChess) November 26, 2023
McGregor was specifically referencing the situation of Emily Hand, the child who was tragically taken from her friend Hila’s home in Kibbutz Be’eri, southern Israel on October 7th, along with Hila and Hila’s mother by the Hamas militia.
In response to the happy reunion of Emily Hand with her father – an incident that initially led him to believe his child was lost in the Hamas assault – Prime Minister Varadkar posted on social media. In his post, he expressed his heartfelt happiness and a sense of great relief for Emily and her family’s reunion.
‘Today brings immeasurable joy and solace for Emily Hand and her family,’ he penned, ‘A once missing innocent child is now found and returned, providing a breath of fresh respite. Our prayers have finally been accepted.’
Varadkar’s post was swiftly highlighted for its context by X, which retorted: ‘Emily Hand was seized by Hamas radicals on October the 7th. Referring to this as lost is an inapt choice of word and belittles the fact that she was let go as part of a hostage negotiation.’
Hamas kidnapped an estimated 240 Israeli civilians and detained them in their stronghold in Gaza. McGregor’s disapproval of Varadkar takes place only a few days after he denounced the Irish hierarchy for their perceived inadequate response to a knife attack in Dublin which left three minors wounded just the previous week.
