The Israeli Embassy in Dublin removed its national flag on Friday, marking the first step toward its closure.
The move follows Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s statement that the embassy would be closed owing to what he called Ireland’s “antisemitic rhetoric,” which Dublin disputes.
Saar attacked Ireland’s endorsement of a Palestinian state, accusing it of attempting to redefine “genocide” under international law in order to promote allegations against Israel before the International Court of Justice.
The removal of the Israeli flag from the embassy’s location on Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, occurred shortly after Saar’s announcement.
According to Irish media reports, a spokesperson for the embassy confirmed the flag’s removal, saying: “The flag was taken down following the instruction of the foreign minister to close the embassy.”
However, the spokesperson clarified that the embassy has not yet been officially closed.
Speaking from Brussels during an EU summit on Ukraine, Harris stated, “The people of Ireland, the government of Ireland – this and the next one – are not anti-Israeli. But we are pro-human rights, international law, and peace, and we will never be forced or silenced into abandoning them.”
Harris also expressed confidence that the Occupied Territories Bill, which attempts to ban or penalise trade in goods and services originating in Israeli settlements in Palestine, would be passed by 2025.
He noted, however, that the formation of a new Irish government, expected in January, would influence the timeline for advancing the legislation.
