Former President Mary Robinson calls for US to stop providing weapons to Israel

Ms Robinson, speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland said they must all recognise that "retaliatory attacks cannot solve this conflict".

"Civilians are paying the price for the pursuit of military approaches over dialogue and political solutions," she said.

The former president, who is chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet, said the group "condemn violence against civilians on all sides".

"But we see co-ordinated action to protect Israeli civilians from attack by Iran and that stands in stark contrast to the lack of any protection for Palestinian civilians in Gaza and Lebanese civilians.

"Israel is now acting with impunity because it is not being restrained," she said.

She said that The Elders have repeatedly called for the United States to restrain Israel's actions through the suspension of arms transfers to Israel.

"Arms transfers especially of offensive weapons that are not required for legitimate self-defence, cannot be justified in a context where international humanitarian law is being violated," she said.

Ms Robinson referenced the 42,000 civilians killed in Gaza and 13,000 deaths in two weeks in Lebanon, as well as people driven from their homes.

On who can change Israel's course, Ms Robinson said US president Joe Biden last year should have said in Israel that the US will not back a "disproportionate stance".

"There should have been a restraint from the beginning of not supplying the arms. Instead, Israel has somehow decided that it can now aggressively attack.

"It has overreacted in relation to Gaza and decimated Gaza with not just 42,000 killed, but think of the injuries to children, life changing injuries... now Iran," she said.

Ms Robinson also stressed that The Elders do not support Iran sending missiles to Israel.

"What we need is to tone down as retaliatory attacks may lead to a total war which would be disastrous because it could be a forever war for poor Israel and Israel citizens.

"It is time for restraint as Israel has crossed all the red lines, internationally. Humanitarian law is being horribly transgressed and the cynicism that I encountered in New York from foreign ministers of the Middle East at a dinner with the Tánaiste.

"The toll of civilian deaths particularly of women and children. That is so appalling," she said.

Ms Robinson said she would be "very sorry" if her remarks were seen in any way as being "Anti-Israel".

"The Elders absolutely agree with Israel's right to defend itself and right to live as a State in peace in the region, that is what we have always championed.

"But, there is a disproportionate aggressive response from Israel at the moment and that needs to be reined in and could be reined in by stopping supplying the weapons.

"I wish for the Israeli people that they would have a better future than this Government is leading them to, where they are becoming a pariah State," she said.

She acknowledged the horror of October 7 and the trauma that it caused Israeli families.

"I am far from antisemitic, never would be, never could be nor are any of The Elders," she added.