Mary Lou McDonald says gay rights in Palestine 'is an issue for another day' as BBC man quizzes her over views adding that Sinn Fein ‘does not support any human rights violations'

The Sinn Fein leader went on to tell the Sunday Politics show that “we do not support any advances that violate anybody's human rights”.

Under Mary Lou McDonald’s leadership (she took over the running of the party from Gerry Adams in 2018), Sinn Fein has become a vociferous advocate for what is often termed LGBTQQIA+ rights.

The leadership of Hamas, like much of the Middle East and Africa, takes a dim view of homosexuality; for instance, the group executed one of its own leaders in 2016 after he was accused of gay activity, and last year a gay man was beheaded in the West Bank (though it is not certain who the culprits were).

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On the Sunday Politics, it was put to Mrs McDonald that “Hamas has a very particular view, for example, on gay people – it backs a very strict interpretation of Islamic law, and that means it's aggressively anti-gay”.

This, the host noted, “is clearly at odds with your party's publicly stated position”.

He also noted that Hamas is tied to Lebanese paramilitary outfit Hezbollah, which killed Irish peacekeeping soldier Private Sean Rooney, 24, from Donegal, last December.

"I'm wondering if it's a case of good terrorists, bad terrorists, and ultimately you get to decide,” Mark Carruthers said to Mrs McDonald.

"Well, I think, if I may say so, Mark, that's a very trite position to advance to me today when thousands of children have been slaughtered and massacred,” she said.

"I mean, the issue, whatever people's views are on gay rights and our position is on the record, that is a question for another day.

"I think you know full well that we do not support any advances that violate anybody's human rights, gay people, women and any other section of society.

"But as I'm speaking you today, in real time, people are being massacred now, and that demands an international response. And that's, with respect, where I think our focus ought to be.”

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Mr Carruthers also said to her: “You met Hamas in 2018. I'm asking you, does Hamas have your support today?”

The reply came: “It's not a question of the Palestinian people have my support... the people of Gaza and of Palestine decide who their government is. That's not for me to decide. That's a bizarre question.

"I back the rule of international law and Palestinian self-determination.”

In December 2018, Mary Lou McDonald led a party delegation including Declan Kearney MLA and Pat Sheehan MLA to Palestine.

According to a Sinn Fein newsletter, this was for "meetings with senior Palestinian leaders, activists and refugees" in the West Bank, during which she laid a wreath at the mausoleum of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (the founder of Fatah, Hamas' political rival).

Gerry Adams has also visited Palestine several times, and in 2010 wrote on his blog: "Last year on a visit to the Gaza strip this blog met with senior Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

"Since then other Shinners have met representatives of Hamas, including Khaled Mashal, the political leader of Hamas.”

Meshal ran Hamas from 1996 to 2017.