Israel has announced the closure of its embassy in Ireland, a move taken after Dublin supported South Africa’s initiative to bring genocide allegations against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and recognized Palestine as an independent state.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated on Sunday that this decision was prompted by the Irish government’s “double standards” and its “extremely anti-Israel policies.” Sa’ar, in a post on microblogging site X, said, “Today, I have ordered the closure of Israel’s embassy in Ireland. The actions, double standards, and anti-Semitic rhetoric of the Irish government are motivated by attempts to delegitimize and humiliate the Jewish state of Israel.”
He further accused the Irish government of recognizing Palestine as a state during attacks on Israel, a move welcomed by Hamas. Sa’ar also alleged that the Irish government tried to redefine the concept of ‘genocide’ under international law to support “baseless allegations” against Israel at the ICJ. Additionally, he claimed that Ireland promoted anti-Israel initiatives within the European Union, fostering hostility toward Tel Aviv.
Notably, Ireland is one of the few European countries that has not adopted the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism. The Israeli minister also criticized the Irish government for failing to take effective steps to combat the growing anti-Semitism in Ireland. Sa’ar emphasized, “Israel will now focus its resources on strengthening bilateral relations with countries that maintain a positive stance toward Israel.”
However, the decision has faced criticism from Israeli opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid. He argued that Israeli embassies should continue operating in countries that show clear opposition to Israel, rather than withdrawing in response to such actions.
