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JERUSALEM: Israel’s foreign ministry announced on Sunday that it was closing its embassy in Ireland, citing the Dublin government’s “extreme anti-Israeli policies,” further straining tense relations between the two nations.
Diplomatic ties between Ireland and Israel have deteriorated after a series of moves that included Ireland recognising a Palestinian state and backing an International Court of Justice case accusing Israel of “genocide” in the Gaza Strip.
Ireland has also been among the most outspoken critics of Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas that sparked the war in Gaza.
“The decision to close Israel’s embassy in Dublin was made in light of the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the delegitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along with double standards,” Foreign minister Gideon Saar said in a statement.
“Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel.”
In November, Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris said the country’s authorities would detain his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu if he travelled to Ireland after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him.
The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant “for crimes against humanity and war crimes” committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20 this year in the Gaza Strip.
Saar said Israel would invest its resources in building ties with other countries, and on Sunday announced the opening of an embassy in Moldova.
“We will adjust Israel’s diplomatic network of missions while giving due weight, among other factors, to the positions and actions of various countries toward Israel in the diplomatic arena,” he said.
In May, Dublin said it recognised Palestine as “a sovereign and independent state” comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and agreed to establish full diplomatic relations.
Spain and Norway recognised a Palestinian state on the same day, with Slovenia following a week later, drawing retaliatory moves from Israel.
In November, Dublin accepted the appointment of a full Palestinian ambassador for the first time.
On Sunday, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called the Israeli decision to close its Dublin embassy “deeply regrettable”.
“I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law,” he posted on X.
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