Israel shuts down embassy in EU country

West Jerusalem has accused Ireland of “crossing every red line” in its stance towards the war in Gaza

Israel has announced the closure of its embassy in Ireland, citing “extreme” policies towards the Jewish state, including the accusations of committing genocide of Palestinians. 

The decision to shut down the diplomatic outpost “was made in light of the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. 

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,” Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said. “Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel.”

“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,” Saar added.

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said he was “deeply disappointed” by Israel’s decision. “Keeping channels open has never been more important so that we can better understand each other’s positions, even when we disagree.”

Harris denied that Ireland was anti-Israel. “Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-international law,” he said.

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Dublin has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and, in May 2024, formally recognized the State of Palestie, drawing the ire of West Jerusalem. On Wednesday, the Irish government backed the genocide case filed to the International Court of Justice by South Africa.

“There has been a collective punishment of the Palestinian people through the intent and impact of military actions of Israel in Gaza, leaving 44,000 dead and millions of civilians displaced,” the Irish government said in a statement.

Israel has rejected the accusation of genocide as “absurd,” insisting that Hamas should be blamed for civilian deaths in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) accused the armed group of using Palestinian civilians as human shields and said that its operation in Gaza would continue until the threat from Hamas is eliminated. Israeli similarly dismissed the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for senior officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.