Israel has made the decision to permanently close its embassy in Ireland.
In a statement released today, Israel claimed the decision was made due to what it called “the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government.”
Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, had already been recalled earlier this year after Ireland formally recognised the state of Palestine.
The decision comes just days after the Irish government decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, accusing the Israeli state of committing a genocide in Palestine.
This intervention does not mean Ireland is joining either side in the case, but instead advocating “to promote a consistent interpretation of the Genocide Convention which prioritises the protection of civilian life, and to demonstrate Ireland’s strong commitment to the rule of law and international justice.”
According to Al Jazeera, as of last week the death toll in Gaza has officially reached over 45,000 people.
In response to Israel closing its Irish Embassy, An Taoiseach Simon Harris took to social media to respond.
Posting on X, he said that: “This is a deeply regrettable decision from the Netanyahu government. I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law.”
In another post, Harris also said that “Ireland wants a two state solution and for Israel and Palestine to live in peace and security,” and that “Ireland will always speak up for human rights and international law.”
