| | | In Ireland, ‘Obsessive Hostility’ to IsraelDec 28, 2024 4:00 pm
By Hugh Fitzgerald
14 Comments
Finally fed up with the anti-Israel animus expressed by Irish President Michael Higgins, Taoiseach Simon Harris, and Foreign Minister Micheal Martin, and by virtually the entire political establishment, in December Israel recalled its ambassador to Ireland and closed its Dublin embassy. The anti-Israel attitudes in Ireland did not begin with the Gaza war, but have deep roots in the past, the indifference to Jewish suffering beginning in World War II, when Ireland remained neutral in the war against Nazi Germany and continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Hitler’s Germany, and President Eamon De Valera chose to express his condolences on the death of Adolf Hitler. Ireland extended de jure recognition to Israel as late as 1963, and then established diplomatic relations only in 1975. Prior to that, Ireland had refused to establish relations due to Israel’s alleged violations of UN Resolutions.
More on this disturbing history of Irish antisemitism and anti-Israel animus can be found here: “Ireland’s anti-Israel actions will not go unanswered – opinion,” by David Ben-Basat, Jerusalem Post, December 27, 2024:
Relations between Israel and Ireland have been marked over the years by ongoing tension, harsh criticism from Dublin, and a growing sense of alienation. This has culminated in the recent decision of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to shutter Israel’s embassy in Ireland – a rare move that underscores a deep crisis in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
This decision does not stand in a vacuum. It stems from Ireland’s longstanding antisemitic and anti-Israel policies, which include legislation supporting the Palestinian struggle and harsh statements against Israel by Irish politicians.
The roots of Ireland’s anti-Jewish policies can be traced back to World War II. After Hitler’s suicide, when Europe breathed a sigh of relief, Irish prime minister Éamon de Valera snuck away under cover of night to console the Nazi ambassador over Hitler’s death. De Valera also strongly objected to the death sentences imposed on Nazis during the Nuremberg Trials.
Furthermore, Palestinian terrorist organizations trained members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in refugee camps in Lebanon. Ireland’s ideology aligns closely with the national and ideological narrative of the Palestinians. Dublin views the Palestinian struggle for “liberation” as similar to Ireland’s historical fight for independence from British rule.
This solidarity with the Palestinians has become a central driver of Ireland’s policies toward Israel, leading to the adoption of one-sided stances against the Jewish state.
Ireland sees itself as a “justice warrior” and a leader in the field of human rights. It uses this position to support the Palestinians while harshly criticizing Israel. This is evident in parliamentary resolutions, speeches on the international stage, and specific legislation targeting Israel.
In 2018, the Irish parliament advanced legislation banning the import and sale of products from Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria (West Bank). This law was seen as a precedent in Europe, aimed at pressuring Israel over what was described as the “illegal occupation.” Though the law was not implemented, due to opposition from the European Union, its advancement infuriated Jerusalem and was perceived as biased.
Ireland has also stood out as a leading supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, which seeks to economically and diplomatically isolate Israel. BDS has received public support from Irish politicians, parliamentarians, and government ministers who openly endorse its objectives.
During military operations such as Operation Protective Edge and Guardian of the Walls, Ireland was one of the first European countries to accuse Israel of war crimes. Irish parliamentarians’ accusation against Israel of operating an “apartheid regime” and calls for imposing sanctions on Israel gained wide support from within the Irish government and with the public.
Silence on Hamas’s crimes
AFTER THE Hamas-perpetrated massacre on October 7, in which over 1,000 Israeli civilians were murdered and many others kidnapped, the Irish government condemned the violence and “expressed deep concern over the escalation in the region.” Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar and Foreign Minister Micheal Martin issued statements expressing sorrow over the loss of life and calling for a halt to the violence. However, their condemnation was focused on demands for a ceasefire and humanitarian concerns in Gaza, without explicitly and directly condemning Hamas’s actions or recognizing them as acts of terror.
This stance from Ireland drew criticism from Israeli officials, who expected an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’s atrocities….
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has chosen not to endure any longer the constant Irish attacks on the State of Israel. Israel’s embassy in Dublin has been closed, but on the other hand, Ireland is proud to have the embassy of the pseudo-state of “Palestine.” Now the Irish government will be able to compare what economic and cultural benefits it derives from its embrace of the “Palestinians” as compared to what benefits it might have received had it not so antagonized the state of Israel. |
|
