Israel has announced that it is closing its embassy in Ireland, just days after Ireland announced that it is joining South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and as the death toll in Gaza reaches another grim milestone.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that Ireland has “extreme anti-Israel policies” — referring to Ireland’s criticism of Israel’s genocide and recognition of Palestinian rights, which are in line with orders by the ICJ and the opinions of myriad human rights and legal experts across the world.
Saar cited “antisemitic rhetoric” used by Irish officials, without any evidence, and said, “Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel.”
Irish leaders have long been opposed to Gaza’s genocide and Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. In May, Ireland formally recognized Palestine as a state with sovereignty, and established diplomatic relations with Palestinian officials. In response, Israel removed its ambassador in Ireland, arguing that such a move erodes Israel’s ability to defend itself — an argument that has been ruled invalid by the ICJ when it comes to Israel’s occupation.
This week’s move is in response to Ireland announcing that it is helping to back South Africa’s genocide case. The Irish government filed an argument “asking the ICJ to broaden its interpretation” of what constitutes a genocide, per a press release, saying that “a very narrow interpretation of what constitutes genocide leads to a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimised.”
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called Israel’s decision to close the embassy “deeply regrettable.”
“I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law,” said Harris. “Ireland wants a two state solution and for Israel and Palestine to live in peace and security. Ireland will always speak up for human rights and international law.”
Israel’s move comes as the official death toll in Gaza has surpassed 45,000, though experts say the true death toll is likely far higher.
Israeli officials said they would instead open an embassy in Moldova, which has an embassy in Israel already.
Ireland’s Tánaiste, the deputy prime minister, Micheál Martin said that the country does not plan on closing its embassy in Israel.
Israel’s move comes as it is growing increasingly isolated internationally due to its genocide in Gaza, creeping annexation of the occupied West Bank, and aggression in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and more.
Israel and the U.S. are two of just a handful of states that vote against resolutions affirming Palestinian rights in the UN General Assembly. Some countries and entities have cut trade partnerships or halted weapons transfers to Israel, while over a dozen countries have announced their intention to back South Africa’s ICJ case.
Meanwhile, one of the largest human rights groups in the world, Amnesty International, found in a bombshell report this month that Israel’s assault does amount to a genocide, and that Israeli officials have clearly set out with the intention of carrying out a genocide in Gaza.
We’re not backing down in the face of Trump’s threats.
As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that we’re not shouting into a faceless void – we’re reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.
Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.
As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations – either through need or greed – rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trump’s wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.
At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We won’t run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths – a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.
Over 80 percent of Truthout‘s funding comes from small individual donations from our community of readers, and the remaining 20 percent comes from a handful of social justice-oriented foundations. Over a third of our total budget is supported by recurring monthly donors, many of whom give because they want to help us keep Truthout barrier-free for everyone.
You can help by giving today. Whether you can make a small monthly donation or a larger gift, Truthout only works with your support.