UUP MLA reveals he turned down invitation for trip to Israel

A UUP MLA has revealed he turned down an invitation to go on a fact finding trip to Israel.

Robbie Butler said while he would consider himself to be a supporter of Israel and a two-state solution, he thinks what has happened in both Israel and Palestine is “horrendous”.

Speaking to the Stormont Sources podcast, Mr Butler also said he would put his name forward to be the next leader of the UUP if a vacancy emerged.

A group of unionist MLAs visited Israel this week following an invitation by the government of Israel to participate in an official visit as a delegation of representatives from Northern Ireland.

They include Education Minister Paul Givan who has faced criticism for asking his department to publicise his visit to a school in Jerusalem during the trip.

The delegation also includes DUP MP Sammy Wilson and Ron McDowell from the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party, as well as Mr Butler’s UUP colleague Steve Aiken.

Asked for his view of the trip, Mr Butler told Stormont Sources that it was an individual choice for those who went, and confirmed that he had been invited and chose not to go.

He said he took that decision for two reasons, including his family and not having time to go.

“Secondly, whilst I would be a supporter of Israel and the two-state solution, I just think that what has happened in Israel and then in Palestine is horrendous,” he said.

“We live in a country where we had to sit down with terrorists at a time, okay? And for a lot of people that is unimaginable.

“But when you’re in the room with people, if you ask the right questions, I think that’s okay.

“If you ask the right questions, so say for instance, if I had of went (sic), I would have been wanting to ask certain questions and to see certain changes.

“So going somewhere like that isn’t necessarily the issue. What could be for you is when you were there, what did you ask, and what did you want to happen off the back of it?

“And I think that’s really important because of all the countries in the world, we need to learn from what we did.

He added: “Because I’m a person of faith – I’d love to go (to Israel) at some stage, but not just now at this time.

“And think given what has happened in Israel and Palestine, were difficult questions that needed to be asked.

“And I hope that some of the people asked them. And we want to see peace be maintained in that area.”

Meanwhile, asked whether he would go for leadership of the UUP, Mr Butler, currently deputy leader of the party, said there is currently no vacancy.

Current leader Mike Nesbitt previously indicated he would make a decision on his future in the leadership in January 2026.

“Going forward, it is really clear that whoever that leader is, whether it’s Mike, whether it’s myself, that that connectivity to the pro-union unionist has to be the Holy Grail,” he said.

“If the leadership came up, I wouldn’t be discounting myself at all, but what it would be in relation to would be, is it right for unionism, not just the Ulster-Unionist party?

“Because Ulster-Unionism has a broader sense of ambition for unionism, I think, than any of the other parties.

“I genuinely do, and I’m not belittling them. I just think that’s the case. I think it’s been proven over the years, and that would be my ambition.

“But listen, if Mike decides to stay on, Mike will get my full support.”

Pressed further, Mr Butler added: “If the party can match my ambition, which I believe it could match my ambition, and there is a formula for it, and if they can do that, then I believe it’s in the right place, I’m putting my name forward, but there could be a better face.”