By Cate McCurry, PA
The Taoiseach has said that Ireland will not be silenced about its views on Israel’s war on Gaza, after Israel said it would close its Dublin embassy.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar announced the closure in a statement on Sunday, saying it was due to the “extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government”, accusing Ireland of “crossing every red line”.
Simon Harris accused Israel of engaging in “distraction” policies, adding that he was very proud of Ireland standing up for the Palestinian people.
Earlier this year, the Irish government officially recognised the Palestinian state and, last week, it emerged that Ireland would formally intervene in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Israel’s ambassador to Dublin was recalled in May following the Palestinian state recognition.
Speaking to reporters in Dún Laoghaire on Monday, Mr Harris was asked why Ireland had been targeted by the Israeli government.
“I’d respectfully suggest that possibly because it works as a distraction. You’re all here today asking about Ireland’s position. What about Israel’s actions?” Mr Harris said.
“What about what (Israeli prime minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is doing to the innocent children of Gaza? This is the diplomacy of distraction. I think it is deeply regrettable that they took that decision. They have every right to take that decision to close the embassy. I’d rather it didn’t happen.
“We will continue to engage, continue to engage diplomatically, but nobody is going to silence Ireland. We know right from wrong.
“We value human rights, we respect international law.
“We expect international law to be applied consistently.”
Mr Harris said he would keep the Irish embassy in Israel open.
“We will also not allow our position to be misrepresented by Israel, by the government of Israel,” he added.
“Do you know what I think is reprehensible? Killing children. I think that’s reprehensible. You know what I think is reprehensible? Seeing the scale of civilian deaths that we’ve seen in Gaza.
“You know what I think is reprehensible? About people being left to starve and humanitarian aid not flowing.”
Mr Saar said at the weekend: “The actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the de-legitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along with double standards.
“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 towards Israel.”
In response to the decision by the Israeli government to close its embassy, a Fine Gael councillor and mayor of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Jim O’Leary accused the Irish government of engaging in a “populist anti-Israeli position”.
He tweeted: “The decision to seek a reinterpretation of the (definition) of genocide and intervene in the ICJ case lacks credibility and is both reprehensible and diplomatic suicide.”
Mr Harris said the views of Mr O’Leary were not high up in his priorities.
“My priority here is continuing to shine the spotlight on what’s happening in the Middle East, and we shouldn’t allow anything to distract from what is happening,” Mr Harris added.
“Of course, people can have different views, but we should never, ever, ever allow one decision, including yesterday’s, to distract from the reality.
“I’m very proud of the position of this country. I’m very proud of the position of people right across Ireland that we are pro-human rights, we are pro-international law.”
