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‘A blow for Israeli families living in Ireland’: Israel closes embassy in Dublin
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says ‘extreme anti-Israel policy’ of Irish government behind decision
December 15, 2024 13:26
2 min read
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says ‘extreme anti-Israel policy’ of Irish government behind decision
December 15, 2024 13:26Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has announced the closure of Israel’s embassy in Ireland due to “extreme anti-Israel policy of the Irish government”.
“The antisemitic actions and rhetoric that Ireland is taking against Israel are based on delegitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state and on double standards,” Sa’ar said on Sunday. “Ireland has crossed all red lines in its relationship with Israel. Israel will invest its resources in promoting bilateral relations with the countries of the world according to priorities that are also derived from the attitude of the various countries towards it.”
In May, Israel recalled its ambassador Dana Erlich after the Irish government joined Spain and Norway in announcing it would unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. Ireland has not recalled its envoy to Israel.
Sa’ar also cited Ireland’s decision last week to become involved in the South African lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which is accusing the Jewish State of genocide against the Palestinians.
Rabbi Yoni Wieder, Chief Rabbi of Ireland, said in a statement to the JC that the decision to close the embassy “will be a blow for Israeli individuals and families living in Ireland, many of whom have contributed tremendously to the Jewish community in Ireland.”
He added: "Ireland has not engaged constructively with Israel over the past year, instead preferring to vilify and roundly criticise Israel without any recognition of the complexities of the situations in Gaza and Lebanon. Irish political leaders have routinely failed to acknowledge that Israel is waging war against Jihadist terrorist organisations intent on its destruction.
"The anti-Israel narrative in Ireland has become extremely hateful, and full of disinformation and distortions. And already in the immediate aftermath of the October 7th massacre, whilst many other European countries flew Israeli flags above government or public buildings - no such solidarity was shown in Ireland,” Rabbi Wieder said.
The Foreign Minister said that Israel will open an embassy in Moldova, which already has an embassy in Israel. The opening is expected to occur in the next year, and Israel is beginning the process of finding a site and appointing an ambassador.
“There are countries that are interested in strengthening their ties with Israel and do not yet have an Israeli embassy,” said Sa’ar. “We will adjust the Israeli diplomatic structure of our missions while giving weight, among other things, to the approach and actions of the various countries towards Israel in the political arena.”
Maurice Cohen, Chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, decried the embassy closure, saying in a statement: “It is regrettable that circumstances have led the Israeli Government to believe that closing the Embassy in Dublin is the best course of action. It will have a deeply personal impact on many Irish citizens with Israeli roots, including members of our own community.
"It is crucial that both governments recognise the broader implications of their decisions, not just for bilateral relations but for the people they affect directly.
“We call on both the Irish and Israeli governments to seek pathways to rebuild trust and to ensure that avenues for diplomatic engagement remain open. Ireland has the potential to play a constructive role on the global stage, and it is our hope that this potential will be directed toward fostering understanding and reconciliation,” Cohen said.