Protests gather in front of the Israeli Embassy to stage a protest against Israel’s war in Gaza in Dublin, Ireland, on May 14, 2024. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)

(JTA) — Israel is closing its embassy in Dublin in response to the Irish government’s criticism, Israel’s foreign minister announced on Sunday.

The move does not end diplomatic relations between the two countries. Still, it offers a dramatic illustration of how Gideon Saar, who became foreign minister last month after a rapprochement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is approaching ties with countries that are critical of Israel.

In a statement on social media, Saar cited Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state, its support for cases against Israel and Israelis in international courts, and the fact that it has not adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism as reasons for the embassy closure.

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“The actions, double standards, and antisemitic rhetoric of the Irish government against Israel are rooted in efforts to delegitimize and demonize the Jewish state,” he wrote.

Ireland last week announced that it would seek to join the genocide case against Israel initiated by South Africa in the International Court of Justice, saying its intervention was inspired by the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people” to seek to widen the definition of genocide used in international legal proceedings.

“We are concerned that a very narrow interpretation of what constitutes genocide leads to a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimised,” Ireland’s foreign minister said in a statement.

Ireland’s staunch pro-Palestinian outlook, which is widely shared among its people and dates back decades, reflects a perception that both peoples were, or are, colonized — the Irish by the United Kingdom, and the Palestinians by Israel.

Ireland’s prime minister, Simon Harris, denounced Saar’s move, calling it “a deeply regrettable decision from the Netanyahu government” and rebuffing the criticism. Ireland will keep its embassy open in Tel Aviv.

“I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law,” he tweeted. “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. Nothing will distract from that.”

The move drew criticism in Israel as well. Yair Lapid, Netanyahu’s immediate predecessor and a leader of the opposition, wrote on the social network X, “The decision to close the Israeli embassy in Ireland is a victory for anti-Semitism and anti-Israel organizations. The way to deal with criticism is not to run away, but to stay and fight!”

Israel’s war in Gaza, which began when Hamas attacked Israel from the territory on Oct. 7, 2023, has fueled tensions in its relations with other countries. Both South Africa and Turkey have taken sharply critical stances, with South Africa initiating a genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice and Turkey unilaterally cutting off trade relations. Spain and Norway, meanwhile, joined Ireland in recognizing a Palestinian state in May. While Saar’s predecessor at times took steps to signal anger with those countries’ governments, he never closed any embassies.

Saar also announced on Sunday that Israel would open an embassy in Moldova, where it has had diplomatic relations for decades.

“Israel will focus its resources on strengthening bilateral relations with countries worldwide, according to priorities that also take into account the attitudes and actions of these states toward Israel,” he wrote in his post about shuttering Ireland’s embassy.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the arena in which South Africa has initiated a genocide case against Israel. It is the International Court of Justice, not the International Criminal Court, which handles claims against individuals.

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