As he justified Israel’s decision to shut its embassy in Dublin due to Ireland’s policies, Israel’s foreign minister accused Taoiseach Simon Harris of antisemitism.
“There is a difference between criticism and antisemitism based on the delegitimisation and dehumanisation of Israel and double standards towards Israel,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in a statement, reports RTE.
He pointed to Ireland’s backing for what he described as “politicised” International Criminal Court investigations against Israeli officials and an International Court of Justice case that accused Israel of genocide for its Gaza campaign.
“Last night Ireland’s antisemitic Prime Minister Simon Harris said in an interview ‘Ireland is not anti-Israel but Ireland is absolutely anti the starvation of children’,” Mr Saar said, reports RTE.
He then asked: “Is Israel starving children?”
While Hamas was stealing assistance and using people as human shields, Mr. Saar claimed Israel was attempting to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and avoid civilian fatalities.
A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said this evening that Mr Harris “will not be responding to personalised and false attacks and remains focused on the horrific war crimes being perpetrated in Gaza, standing up for human rights and international law and reflecting the views of so many people across Ireland who are so concerned at the loss of innocent, civilian lives”, reports RTE.
Israel’s growing international isolation after the Gaza war, which was sparked by Hamas-led terrorists’ October 7, 2023, onslaught on Israeli towns around Gaza, has been brought to light by the decision to close the Israeli embassy in Dublin.
The Taoiseach dismissed Israel’s criticism yesterday, saying that Ireland will always defend international law and human rights and that the decision to close the embassy was extremely regretful, reports RTE.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin underlined this, stating that respect for human rights and international humanitarian law have been the only driving forces behind Ireland’s stance towards Israel.
According to Israeli ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich, the closing of the Israeli embassy was caused by many recent actions made by Ireland.
“The extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish Government” are the reason Israel will shut its embassy in Dublin, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s announcement yesterday, reports RTE.
Ms. Erlich stated that the embassy has observed “a growing incitement and hatred towards anything Israeli” that has “crossed the lines” when appearing on RTÉ’s News at One.
“This is not criticism, but this is just pure hatred and obsession that is now also directed to Israelis and the Jewish community,” she said, reports RTE.
“It was a tough decision that was not taken lightly, but unfortunately in the current hostile atmosphere in Ireland, fostered by the Irish Government, this is the correct diplomatic decision to take,” she added, reports RTE.
Ms. Erlich stated that the Israeli and Jewish communities in Ireland had expressed a great deal of worry to her.
“We direct those concerned to the Irish Government, the Government that needs to make sure that they are safe, that there is a future for the Jewish community in Ireland. These assurances need to be made,” reports RTE.
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