Israeli embassy removes flag in Dublin ahead of closure

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Israeli embassy in Dublin has removed its national flag as part of a move towards full closure.

Israel said at the weekend it was closing its embassy in Dublin with Israel’s foreign minister accusing Ireland of “antisemitic rhetoric” and of crossing “every red line in its relations with Israel”.

Gideon Saar cited Ireland recognising a Palestinian state “during attacks on Israel”, and attempting to “redefine ‘genocide’” in international law to support baseless claims against Israel at the International Court of Justice as acts of hostility towards Israel.

The Israeli flag was taken down from outside the building on Dublin’s Shelbourne Street in the following days.

A spokesperson told the PA news agency: “The flag was taken down following the instruction of the foreign minister to close the embassy.”

Asked if the embassy was now considered closed, the spokesperson said: “Not quite yet.”

Elsewhere on Thursday, Simon Harris insisted that Ireland was not anti-Israeli and accused Israeli officials of engaging in “distraction”.

Mr Harris, who is in Brussels for an EU meeting focused on Ukraine, said he would not be “intimidated” into changing Irish foreign policy.

Asked if he would be briefing his EU counterparts on the closure of the embassy, he said: “What I continue to do in every forum I’m in – both public and private – is say the same thing: That the people of Ireland, the Government of Ireland – this one and the next one – are not anti-Israeli.

“But we are pro-human rights, we are pro-international law, we are pro-peace, and we will never be intimidated or silenced into moving away from that.”

He said it would not be a surprise to anybody that Ireland’s foreign policy is underpinned by those values.

Mr Harris said there had been “very personalised” and “outright false” claims made by the Israeli government.

“They’re done to distract, they’re done so (journalists) ask me about that rather than the fact that tens of thousands of children have lost their lives.”

He added: “It won’t deter us. It won’t deter me personally, won’t deter this Irish Government or the next Irish government from continuing to speak up and speak out in favour of international law and an end to the loss of civilian life, calling absolutely for the release of all hostages and applying international law in that consistent way.”

Meanwhile, Mr Harris said he would like to see a version of the Occupied Territories Bill passed next year, noting that a Government has yet to be formed after the recent general election.

It is expected a government will be formed in January.

It is envisaged that the Bill would impose restrictions or penalties on the trade of goods or services originating from Israeli settlements in Palestine.

Speaking in Brussels, Mr Harris told reporters: “It’s a statement of fact, I think, that pretty much all parties in the general election committed to passing the Occupied Territories Bill, or a form of the Occupied Territories Bill in the next Dáil.

“My party gave that commitment as well. We will honour that commitment.”

As Taoiseach, Mr Harris asked the Irish attorney general to provide advice on creating a “workable” version of the bill in light of the non-binding advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice that said Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories breaks international laws and must end.

He added: “But yes, this is something I would like to see happen in the first year of the Government.”

The outgoing Government, led by Mr Harris, had been criticised for failing to pass the legislation prior to the election.