Stormont minister under fire over visit to Israel

By Rebecca Black, PA

Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan has come under fire over a trip to Israel.

Mr Givan appeared to have travelled with a number of other unionist MLAs for what has been described as a fact-finding mission.

However, questions were asked after his department publicised a visit by Mr Givan to a school in the Jerusalem district.

The minister’s actions in promoting this visit on these platforms is an overtly political and divisive act that serves to diminish confidence in his judgment

In a statement, the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (NITC) condemned “the actions of the Department of Education and Education Minister Paul Givan in taking part in and promoting a tour hosted by Israeli officials”.

“The fact that the Education Minister has undertaken this tour in the context of what has been recognised by the UN as a genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza, as well as Israel’s consistent disregard and abuse of international laws in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, is deeply troubling,” they said.

The NITC also condemned the posting of "inappropriate social media posts", as "official governmental online platforms should be politically neutral".

“The minister’s actions in promoting this visit on these platforms is an overtly political and divisive act that serves to diminish confidence in his judgment and respect for the views of the wider education workforce and community,” they said.

The NITC has demanded that the department remove the social media posts and stories on its website about the visit.

The council added: “The minister should also be asked to explain his actions in accepting the invitation of the Israeli embassy at a time when senior officials of that state stand accused of war crimes.”

The world has watched in horror as Israel continued to commit atrocities in Gaza. It is clear that the Education Minister and his department have significant questions to answer

Alliance MLA Nick Mathison, who chairs the Stormont Education Committee, said questions on “the appropriateness of the minister’s trip must be answered”.

“Over the past two years, the world has watched in horror as Israel continued to commit atrocities in Gaza. It is clear that the Education Minister and his department have significant questions to answer."

He said a recent statement from the Department of Education, promoting the minister’s trip, created additional confusion regarding whether the minister was attending for party business or departmental business.

“There was no prior indication that this was a departmental engagement, making its promotion on official department platforms both surprising and inappropriate," he said.

“There should be no blurring of the minister’s private political activity and the work of the department. It is vital that clarity on the role of the department in this trip is provided urgently."

Education Minister @paulgivan visited Ofek School in the Jerusalem District today to learn more about Israel’s innovative approaches to gifted education and inclusive learning.

The Minister engaged in discussions with Principal Racheli Yitzhak, along with representatives of the… pic.twitter.com/VhVThJjMg0

— Education NI (@Education_NI) October 27, 2025

Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason said: “I have written to the Education Minister to ask a series of questions, including who funded this trip and whether it was undertaken in an official ministerial capacity, or if elements of his visit have been carried out with departmental support.

“If not, I am requesting clarification as to why departmental social media has been used to comment on elements of this trip."

TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell, who also went on the trip to Israel, said he was invited to do so by the Israeli embassy in London.

“The issues specific to the Education Minister are, of course, matters for him,” he said.

“While Sinn Féin seek to undermine the efforts to secure trade and partnership with the world’s only Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East, I am pleased to be part of a delegation seeking to build links.”

The Department of Education has been approached for a response.