Israel’s foreign minister has announced that it will close its embassy in Dublin due to the Irish government’s “extreme anti-Israel policies.”
Gideon Saar stated that the Republic of Ireland has “crossed every red line.”
In a statement, he said Israel’s ambassador to Dublin had previously been recalled in response to Ireland’s “unilateral decision to recognise a Palestinian state.”.
He noted that the decision came after Ireland announced its support for South Africa’s legal case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing the country of “genocide.”.
Mr. Saar said, “The actions and anti-Semitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the delegitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along with double standards.
“Israel will invest its resources in advancing bilateral relations with countries worldwide according to priorities that also take into account the attitudes and actions of these states toward Israel.”
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris has stated that Israel’s decision to close the Irish embassy is “deeply regrettable.”. He also denies that Ireland is anti-Israel.
Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister), has stated that there are no intentions to close the Irish Embassy in Israel.
Martin said the Israeli government informed him of its plan to close its embassy in Dublin.
He said, “I believe firmly in the importance of maintaining diplomatic channels of communication and regret that this decision has been taken.”
“Ireland’s position on the conflict in the Middle East has always been guided by the principles of international law and the obligation on all states to adhere to international humanitarian law.”
He said the continuation of the war in Gaza and the “loss of innocent lives is simply unacceptable and contravenes international law.”
He added, “It represents the collective punishment of the Palestinian people in Gaza. We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Mr. Martin stated that Ireland and Israel will maintain diplomatic relations, adding that this includes the right to agree and disagree on fundamental issues.
On October 7, last year, Hamas conducted an attack in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages.
In reply, Israel began a large operation within the Gaza Strip, with the stated goal of destroying Hamas.
At least 44,875 people have been killed and more than 100,000 injured, the majority of them are civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations believes these numbers are reliable.
