Stormont’s Education Minister Paul Givan has found himself at the center of a fierce political and public controversy after undertaking a six-day official visit to Israel, a trip that has drawn sharp condemnation from Northern Ireland’s teaching unions, opposition politicians, and civic groups. The visit, which began on October 27, 2025, and was facilitated by the Israeli embassy, included other prominent unionist politicians: Sammy Wilson of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Steve Aiken of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and Ron McDowell of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).
Givan, who described the trip as a “fact-finding mission,” visited Ofek School in Jerusalem, met with Israeli victims of Hamas attacks, toured the Holocaust National Memorial Centre, and held discussions at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Department of Education confirmed that Givan requested his visit to Ofek School be highlighted on the department’s official website and social media channels, a decision that has since become a flashpoint in the unfolding debate.
According to BBC News NI, the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (NITC)—representing the region’s main teaching unions—issued a rare, strongly-worded statement decrying Givan’s acceptance of the invitation from a state “accused of genocide,” a claim Israel denies. The NITC said it was “deeply troubling” that the minister would accept such an invitation at a time when “senior officials of that state stand accused of war crimes.” The council further criticized the Department of Education for what it called an “overtly political and divisive act that diminished confidence in his judgement” by promoting the visit on official platforms.
The criticism wasn’t limited to union leaders. Nick Mathison, chair of Stormont’s Education Committee and a member of the Alliance Party, told BBC Radio Ulster’s The Nolan Show that the trip amounted to a “propaganda mission” paid for by the Israeli government. “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,” Mathison said. He described the optics of the tour, particularly the photos shared from Israel, as “quite a jarring image when we think of the absolute destruction that has been inflicted on the people of Gaza following those attacks on 7 October.”
Dr. Graham Gault of the National Association of Head Teachers echoed these concerns, stressing that the Department of Education “should not be putting out anything that can be perceived by anybody as leaning one political way or another.” Mark McTaggart from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) added that it was “hard to comprehend, let alone justify, a minister for education accepting this invitation.”
The controversy comes against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. As reported by BBC, the current military campaign began after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 others. Israel’s subsequent ground and air strikes have, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, led to more than 68,500 deaths. Last month, the world’s leading association of genocide scholars declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. While the United Nations and some Western nations have stated they would only consider a court ruling as authoritative, the declaration has added urgency and gravity to the debate in Northern Ireland.
The political fallout has been swift and intense. Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason wrote to the education minister and submitted a series of questions regarding the trip, stating that Givan had “chosen to visit Israel at a time when that very same state is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” She also highlighted the ongoing crisis in Northern Ireland’s own schools, noting, “Israel has bombed nearly every school in Gaza out of existence and murdered tens of thousands of children.”
Matthew O’Toole, leader of the opposition and a member of the Social Democrat and Labour Party (SDLP), took to social media to call the trip a “propaganda junket to Israel after the killing of thousands of kids,” and expressed particular concern about the use of civil service resources to publicize it.
The People Before Profit MLA, Gerry Carroll, announced his intention to submit an assembly motion of no confidence in Givan. Carroll told BBC News NI’s Talkback program that the minister is “supposed to be a minister for everybody,” but is instead using his position to “bolster the reputation of Israel worldwide,” which he called “really, really dangerous to Palestinians.” Carroll further argued, “The Department of Education has been actively promoting the minister’s visit, which is totally inappropriate. This trip is clearly politically motivated.”
The controversy spilled over into local government as well. Councillors on Derry City and Strabane District Council passed a proposal calling for Givan’s immediate resignation, with the measure supported by Sinn Féin and the SDLP but opposed by DUP and UUP councillors. Shaun Harkin, a People Before Profit councillor who put forward the proposal, described the trip as “a disgrace,” and “a propaganda stunt designed to whitewash and normalise genocide.” The proposal passed by 28 votes to seven, with one abstention.
Unionist politicians on the trip have defended their actions. A DUP spokesperson stated, “It is not a visit shrouded in secrecy—from the moment our representatives landed in Israel they have posted detailed updates of the engagements they have taken part in.” The spokesperson also emphasized that the visit came at no cost to UK taxpayers. Sammy Wilson, DUP MP, noted that the Executive press office checks for “political content” on departmental releases and that the publicized material “refers only to the lessons that he (Givan) learnt in the school that we visited.”
Steve Aiken of the UUP said it was “good to get as wide a set of understanding of the complexities of the conflict as possible,” arguing that “far too often the narrative is skewed in one direction only.” Ron McDowell of the TUV described the delegation’s mission as an effort to build links with “the world's only Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” and emphasized his transparency in accepting the invitation from the Israeli embassy in London.
As the controversy rages, the NITC has called for the removal of all promotional material about the trip from official government platforms, arguing that such channels should remain politically neutral. The unions’ joint statement, described by BBC as “very rare,” underscores the depth of concern among educators about the political implications of the minister’s actions.
With a motion of no confidence looming and mounting scrutiny from unions, opposition parties, and local councils, Paul Givan’s visit to Israel has ignited a debate about political neutrality, international solidarity, and the responsibilities of public officials in a time of global crisis. The minister’s next moves—and the response from Stormont—will be closely watched in the days ahead.
