Taoiseach Micheál Martin has slammed the Israeli FA’s recent criticism of Heimir Hallgrímsson as ‘unacceptable’.

Ireland’s controversial upcoming matches with Israel in the UEFA Nations League have sparked major protests, with many people across the country calling for boycotts.

While the first match is going ahead without any Irish fans in Hungary, RTE will only be broadcasting the bare minimum, with no commentary or punditry.

Hallgrímsson was asked about his and the Irish players’ thoughts on playing the fixtures amid the devastation Israel has inflicted on Gaza, with the Icelandic native stating that none of them was comfortable with the situation.

The Ireland boss said: ‘I’ve said before, we’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.’

The Israeli FA subsequently hit out at Hallgrímsson for these comments, claiming that they ‘contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields’, but ‘have not found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy’.

The Taoiseach was asked about the Israeli statements while in New York for the UN General Assembly.

Martin said: ‘I think those are unacceptable remarks. They should be withdrawn.

‘I think [UN Chief] Antonio Guterres said that he had never in his lifetime seen the level and scale and death and destruction as he witnessed in terms of the Israeli government’s war on Gaza in the aftermath of the horrific Hamas attack in October preceding the war.

‘Our manager is saying the exact same thing. And Israel can’t keep denying what the world knows and what the world understands.’

Last year, it was concluded by a UN commission that Israel has been and is continuing to commit genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The ‘Stop The Game’ movement has been ongoing in Ireland since the Nations League draw was made, with tennis balls thrown onto the pitch in protest during May’s friendly against Qatar.

In July, a motion in favour of proceeding with the fixtures was passed at an FAI EGM.

Protesters gathered outside the team’s hotel in Dublin on Monday evening, urging the FAI to reverse its decision.

Over 160 Irish athletes have also signed an open letter to the team, urging them to refuse to take part in the fixtures.

They also wrote that the FAI, UEFA and the Irish government have failed the players and should never have put them in this position.