Israel closes embassy in Ireland, blaming ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’
(CNN) — Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the closure of the country’s embassy in Ireland on Sunday, accusing Ireland of “extreme anti-Israel policies.”
“The actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the delegitimization and demonization of the Jewish state, along with double standards. Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel,” Sa’ar said, according to a foreign ministry statement.
“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,” he added.
The statement pointed to action taken by the Irish government, including Ireland’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state, and its support for South Africa’s legal action against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, criticized the move in a post on X, calling it a “victory for anti-Semitism and anti-Israel organizations.”
“The way to deal with criticism is not to run away, but to stay and fight!”
His comments sparked backlash from Sa’ar, who on his own X account wrote: “Shame on you, Yair!… This is clear anti-Semitism based on delegitimization, dehumanization and double standards towards the Jewish state.”
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris described Israel’s decision as “deeply regrettable.”
“I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law,” he wrote on X.
Ireland announced in May that it would formally recognize the State of Palestine. “There is never a wrong time to do the right thing,” Prime Minister Harris told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour at the time. In response, Israel ordered the immediate recall of its ambassador to Ireland.
Dublin in March said it would intervene in a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, reflecting the country’s long-standing position of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The case was first brought to the ICJ by South Africa, and in an initial ruling in January, the court ordered Israel to “take all measures within its power” to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza, but stopped short of accusing it of genocide.
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CNN’s Niamh Kennedy and Eoin McSweeney contributed to this report.
