Israeli Foreign Minister Labels Irish Prime Minister ‘Antisemitic’ Amid Diplomatic Strain

The diplomatic dispute between Israel and the Republic of Ireland has escalated further, following Israel’s foreign minister’s characterization of Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris as “antisemitic”. This development occurred after Israel’s choice to shut down its embassy in Dublin. According to a report by Irish broadcaster RTÉ, Gideon Saar, in a public statement, referenced Ireland’s backing of legal actions against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICJ). Saar stated, “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’.” He then posed the question, “is Israel starving children?” and proceeded to affirm that his nation was actively facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. On Monday evening, a spokesperson for the Taoiseach announced that Harris “will not be responding to personalised and false attacks”. The spokesperson further commented that he “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”. Earlier on Monday, Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, informed Irish broadcaster RTÉ that the embassy closure represented a “tough decision” for her government. Erlich further asserted that Ireland has adopted “a more extreme stance than any other country” regarding Israel. Simon Harris affirmed that he did not regret the Irish government’s involvement in the ICJ case concerning Israel. Ireland had previously signaled its endorsement of South Africa’s legal proceedings against Israel at the ICJ, stating its intention to request the court “to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes the commission of genocide by a state”. Harris has also refuted the claim that Ireland is anti-Israel. Nevertheless, during an appearance on RTÉ News at One, Erlich commented on Ireland’s ICJ request, stating: “This is an abuse of the international multilateral system by South Africa, we were sorry to see Ireland join it, but this joins an accumulation of steps, rhetoric and initiatives that we’ve seen Ireland trying to promote this past year.” She continued, “Unfortunately in the past year we’ve seen Ireland position itself in an extreme position that no other country has put itself.” Erlich added, “In most countries we have difficult conversations and we have disagreements – we accept criticism, but this has gone over that line in Ireland.” She concluded, “We see Ireland in a more extreme stance than any other country.” Erlich mentioned that she had received expressions of concern from the Jewish and Israeli communities residing in Ireland. She stated, “We direct those concerns 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.” She emphasized, “These assurances need to be made.” The Taoiseach declared that his “priority is to shine a spotlight on what is happening in the Middle East and we should not allow anything to distract from what is happening”. He expressed regret over the Israeli government’s decision to close the embassy but underscored the significance of diplomatic ties, affirming that Ireland would maintain engagement with Israel. He further remarked, “I’m very proud of the decision Ireland has taken, we are pro human rights and international law.” Mary Lou McDonald, president of Sinn Féin, asserted that the Irish government ought to “hold firm” on its position concerning Israel and Gaza. McDonald characterized Israel’s action regarding its Dublin embassy as an effort to gauge the Irish government’s resolve. She stated, “We need to work with others to bring as much pressure as possible on the [Benjamin] Netanyahu regime.” The chairperson of Ireland’s Jewish Representative Council conveyed his “deeply concerned” sentiment regarding the worsening relations between Ireland and Israel. Maurice Cohen, the chairperson, noted that the closure of Israel’s embassy has caused distress among Israeli individuals in Ireland. He suggested that the Irish government’s involvement in the ICJ risks “oversimplifying a highly complex and tragic conflict, unfairly isolating Israel, and undermining the integrity of the term ‘genocide’.” Mr. Cohen articulated that for the Jewish community in Ireland, “the closure of the embassy represents not only a symbolic blow but also a practical disadvantage”. He elaborated, “Consular services provided by the embassy are vital for those maintaining connections with family, culture, and heritage in Israel.” He further stated, “Losing this resource will leave many feeling unsupported and aggrieved.” He concluded, “Closing the embassy risks alienating a significant segment of Irish society and sends a message that dialogue is being replaced by disengagement.” He affirmed that the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland reiterated its dedication to peace and the safeguarding of innocent lives “on all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, concurrently upholding Israel’s right to self-defense against “terrorism and existential threats”. Mr. Cohen urged both the Irish and Israeli governments to explore methods for re-establishing trust and to guarantee that channels for diplomatic interaction stay accessible. Daniel Epstein-O’Dowd of the Ireland Israel Alliance informed BBC News NI that Israel’s decision to close its Dublin embassy was “predictable” and that “post October 7th there has just been provocation after provocation by the Irish government”. He described it as a “very symbolic move by Israel and showing that they ultimately don’t see any value in retaining any diplomatic presence” in the Republic of Ireland. He further stated, “There are many Israelis who are in the tech industry here in Dublin who are a little bit stranded and isolated quite frankly, they feel the Israeli embassy was very much there for them, particularly in the dark days immediately post October 7th, the embassy really shone through in the sense of that community.” He pondered, “So I think it is wondering where do they go next?” He concluded, “I don’t think that detail has yet been released, but I think it is ultimately going to be somewhere else other than Ireland, it’s a very sad day for anybody in Ireland or Israel.” Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin confirmed that there are no intentions to close Ireland’s embassy in Israel. On 7 October of the previous year, Hamas initiated an assault in southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of 251 hostages. In response, Israel commenced a large-scale military operation within the Gaza Strip, with the declared objective of eradicating Hamas. To date, at least 44,875 people have been killed and over 100,000 injured—predominantly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers these statistics to be credible.