Israel closes Dublin embassy as tensions with Ireland rise
Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, announced on Sunday that the Israeli embassy in Dublin will be closed. The reason cited is "the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government," reported "The Times of Israel."
1:03 PM EST, December 15, 2024
The Israeli ambassador to Dublin was recalled as early as May. This was Tel Aviv’s response to Ireland's statement recognizing the Palestinian state. However, Ireland did not decide to recall its envoy in retaliation.
Last week, Dublin expressed support for the Republic of South Africa before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. South Africa accuses Israel of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. This action further angered Israeli authorities, who believe Ireland has "crossed all red lines".
"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," declared the foreign minister of Israel.
Ireland has crossed "every red line: in its relations with Israel, emphasized Gideon Saar in Sunday’s statement. He announced that Israel intends to "invest" in relations with other countries and, for that reason, will open an embassy in Moldova.
"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," stated the head of Israeli diplomacy.
The Prime Minister of Ireland called the decision of Benjamin Netanyahu's government "deeply regrettable". "I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law," wrote Simon Harris on the X platform.
