The Daily Star Ireland
Israel’s foreign minister has accused Ireland’s Taoiseach, Simon Harris, of antisemitism while defending Israel’s decision to shut down its embassy in Dublin over Ireland’s policies. Gideon Saar, the Israeli Foreign Minister, differentiated between legitimate criticism of Israel and what he termed antisemitism, which he claimed involves delegitimizing and dehumanizing Israel and applying double standards to the country. Saar criticized Ireland’s backing of what he described as politically motivated actions against Israeli leaders at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, which includes a genocide accusation related to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Saar pointed out comments made by Taoiseach Harris, where he said Ireland is not against Israel but is opposed to the “starvation of children.” Saar questioned whether Israel was responsible for starving children. He also defended Israel’s actions, stating that the country is facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza and preventing civilian casualties, while accusing Hamas of looting aid and using civilians as human shields.
In response, a spokesperson for Taoiseach Harris stated that Harris would not engage with “personalized and false attacks” and would remain focused on condemning war crimes in Gaza. Harris continues to advocate for human rights, international law, and the concerns of the Irish people over the suffering of innocent civilians.
The closure of the Israeli embassy in Dublin has underscored Israel’s growing international isolation due to the ongoing Gaza conflict, which began after a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023. The Taoiseach expressed disappointment over the embassy’s closure, reaffirming Ireland’s commitment to human rights and international law. Tánaiste Micheál Martin supported this stance, emphasizing that Ireland’s position on Israel has always been based on respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.
