Israel to Shut Dublin Embassy, Citing ‘Anti-Israel Policies’

Israel’s foreign minister has announced the closure of its embassy in Dublin, attributing the decision to “the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government”. Gideon Saar stated that the Republic of Ireland had exceeded “every red line”. In a statement, Mr. Saar mentioned that Israel’s ambassador to Dublin was previously recalled after what Israel termed Ireland’s “unilateral decision to recognise a Palestinian state”. He further indicated that this decision comes after Ireland declared its support for South Africa’s legal proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which accuse Israel of “genocide”. Mr. Saar asserted: “The actions and anti-Semitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the de-legitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along with double standards.” He added that “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 described Israel’s decision to close its embassy in Ireland as “deeply regrettable”. He also refuted the claim that Ireland is anti-Israel. Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin stated that Ireland has no intentions of closing its embassy in Israel. Mr. Martin confirmed that the Israeli government had informed him of its decision to close its Dublin embassy. He commented: “I believe firmly in the importance of maintaining diplomatic channels of communication and regret that this decision has been taken.” He further stated that “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 declared that the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the “loss of innocent lives is simply unacceptable and contravenes international law.” He further 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 affirmed that Ireland and Israel would continue to uphold diplomatic relations, noting: “Inherent in that is the right to agree and disagree on fundamental points.” On October 7 of the previous year, Hamas initiated an assault in southern Israel, resulting in 1,200 fatalities and the capture of 251 hostages. In response, Israel commenced a large-scale operation within the Gaza Strip, with the declared objective of eradicating Hamas. To date, at least 44,875 individuals have been killed and over 100,000 injured, predominantly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers these statistics reliable.