The news knows no boundaries, least of all an ocean.
President Michael D. Higgins is in New York where he has addressed a United Nations Conference focused on the future of the organization.
But the Monday morning headlines back in Ireland have been focused more on on his accusation that the Israelis leaked a letter of his congratulating the new president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian.
The letter found its way onto social media earlier this month.
The letter, as the Irish Times reported, outlined Mr. Higgins’s view that stability and co-operation and the peaceful resolution of disputes “have never been more important across the whole Middle East region."
In many respects the letter was a standard issue one that would have reflected the position of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.
But the Israeli embassy in Ireland took the view that the letter could have been an opportunity to condemn Iranian funding of terrorism and incitement of “Jihadi terrorist organisations like Hizbullah, Hamas and the Houthis."
President Higgins, in New York, defended the letter stating that it was indeed "a standard one I have written to many heads of state, and I stressed in it the importance of peace in the region, and the importance as well of diplomacy returning in relation to the resolution of disputes and so forth."
Standard issue or no, President Higgins pointed his finger at the Israeli embassy over the fact that the letter had entered the public domain.
"It was certainly the Israeli embassy,” Higgins said.
The Israeli embassy in Dublin fired back stating that the president's accusation was "baseless" and "highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous."
On Sunday night, according to the Irish Times account, "the President’s spokesman said the exchange of letters upon the coming to office of a new head of State is standard diplomatic practice for countries which share diplomatic relations.
"As is usual practice, the letter in question was drafted based on material supplied by the Department of Foreign Affairs and issued via standard diplomatic channels. Such letters have been sent to incoming presidents of Iran for a number of decades.
"In response to questions, the president’s spokesman indicated his view that this standard diplomatic letter had been circulated over the summer and presented as being something out of the ordinary. The President made no accusations of a leak, he solely referred to the letter being circulated, he said."
Relations between Ireland and Israel have been lately strained due to Ireland's trenchant criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and Dublin's formal recognition of a Palestinian State. the Irish government has also totally condemned the Hamas attack on Israel almost a year ago.
President Higgins is in New York for two main reasons. On Sunday he addressed the UN Summit of the Future at the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan.
Higgins was invited to address the summit by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who convened the summit at the outset of the week of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. President Higgins spoke of a form of the United Nations which can represent the people of the world in the interacting crises which the world faces.
The summit seeks to reaffirm the international commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Charter while enhancing cooperation and laying the foundations for a reinvigorated multilateral system.
In his address, President Higgins, according to his office, referred to a number of his recent speeches on the subject of food security for Africa, including that which he delivered when receiving the Agricola Medal of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Dublin in June, and called for a renewed commitment to the delivery of the SDGs and to the agreements which have been made on climate change.
He outlined how a new, inclusive globalisation from below can enhance democracy, improve participation and give the leadership which is needed to achieve a new invigorated United Nations.
"Accompanied by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, the President will further join fellow Heads of State and Heads of Government in attending the first day of the annual high-level General Debate on Tuesday. While at the United Nations, President Higgins will engage in a number of bilateral meetings with fellow Heads of State and senior politicians."
The statement from the president's office added that in addition to his engagements at the United Nations, President Higgins will be presented with the Eugene O’Neill International Public Service Award by the Irish American Writers & Artists Association at an event in the Irish Arts Center in New York on Monday evening and will use the occasion as an opportunity for meeting with members of the Irish community in New York.
