Citing Antisemitism, Israel Closing Embassy in Ireland; Opening Embassy in Moldova

Photo Credit: Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS

The flags of Israel and Ireland at Israeli President Isaac Herzog's Jerusalem residence for the swearing-in of Irish Ambassador to Israel, Sonya McGuinness, on Sept. 19, 2023.

Citing the Irish government’s “antisemitic actions and rhetoric,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday ordered the closure of the Israeli embassy in Dublin while announcing the opening of an embassy in Moldova.

“Relations between Israel and Moldova are friendly and both countries are interested in expanding and deepening them. Moldova already has an embassy in Israel and the time has come for Israel to have an embassy in Moldova,” Sa’ar said.

He added that the opening of the embassy in Chisinau will take place “as soon as possible during 2025.”

Explaining the closing of its embassy in Dublin, Sa’ar said, “The antisemitic actions and rhetoric that Ireland is taking against Israel are based on delegitimization and demonization of the Jewish state and on double standards. Ireland has crossed all red lines in its relationship with Israel. Israel will invest its resources in promoting bilateral relations with the countries of the world according to priorities that are also derived from the attitude of the various countries towards it.”

On Wednesday, the Irish government gave Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Martin a green light to intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, specifically requesting that the court “broaden” its definition of genocide.

Ireland’s Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Martin received government approval for Ireland to intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the Genocide Convention, Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Department announced on Wednesday. Ireland’s intervention is widely expected to be filed in The Hague by the end of December.

Ireland, Norway and Spain extended official recognition of Palestine as a state in May in a move that one analyst described to The Press Service of Israel as “symbolic” and having ‘no effect on the ground.”

“There are countries that are interested in strengthening their ties with Israel and do not yet have an Israeli embassy,” said Sa’ar. “We will adjust the Israeli diplomatic structure of our missions while giving weight, among other things, to the approach and actions of the various countries towards Israel in the political arena.”

Israel and Moldova initiated talks on establishing a free-trade agreement in 2023.