Ireland Hits Back at Israel Over ‘Anti-Semitism’ Accusation

Date: 16 December 2024 - 23:47

News ID: ۱۳۴۷۳۷

DUBLIN (Dispatches) – The Irish government has hit back after the Zionist regime accused it of anti-Semitism and closed its embassy in Dublin.
On Sunday Gideon Saar, the occupying regime’s foreign minister, announced the closure of the regime’s embassy in Dublin.
The move came after Ireland recognized a Palestinian state in May, and announced last week it would formally intervene at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to support South Africa’s genocide case against the regime.
In his announcement, Saar claimed that the “actions, double standards, and anti-Semitic rhetoric of the Irish government against Israel are rooted in efforts to delegitimize and demonize the Jewish state.”
Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Simon Harris hit back, writing on social media platform X: “This is a deeply regrettable decision from the Netanyahu regime.
“Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-international law.”
He added that Ireland supports a Palestinian solution.
Criticizing Ireland, Saar said that its recognition of a Palestinian state was “praised by Hamas”, and also accused Ireland of “redefining” genocide to support South Africa’s case.
On 11 December, Ireland’s foreign ministry announced that the country will intervene at the ICJ, saying there has been “a collective punishment of the Palestinian people through the intent and impact of military actions of Israel in Gaza”.
“Ireland will be asking the ICJ to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes the commission of genocide by.
“We are concerned that a narrow interpretation... leads to a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimized.”
Critics say some of the accompanying examples conflate anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism, or criticism of historical Jews and current Zionist regime policies.
A number of Israeli rights groups condemned the definition in 2023, warning that it has been used to “silence dissent” over Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.
Rights groups including B’tselem, Adalah, Breaking the Silence and Yesh Din said: “The Israeli regime views and treats the IHRA definition as a coercive tactic and tool to silence dissent to its repressive policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians.”