Israel announced Monday it will close its embassy in Ireland, marking a dramatic shift in diplomatic relations between the two nations amid rising tensions over the Gaza conflict.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar cited what he called Dublin's "hostile" position toward Israel and recent comments by Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris about humanitarian concerns in Gaza.
"Israel will not be a punching bag," Sa'ar said during a party meeting in Jerusalem. He accused Ireland of consistently portraying Israel as "the aggressor" despite attacks on multiple fronts.
The move comes after Harris said in a recent interview that while "Ireland is not anti-Israel," the country "unequivocally opposes the starvation of children and civilian deaths." Sa'ar strongly rejected these characterizations of Israel's military operations in Gaza.
In announcing the embassy closure, Sa'ar also revealed plans to redirect diplomatic resources to "more supportive nations," including opening a new embassy in Moldova.
The foreign minister criticized Ireland's stance toward Israel, including its failure to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism, its support for cases against Israel at the International Criminal Court, and its attempts to influence EU policy regarding Israel.
Israeli officials stressed that humanitarian aid continues to enter Gaza, but blamed Hamas for looting supplies and using civilians as human shields.
The Irish government has not yet publicly responded to the announcement.
