Israel Foreign Minister brands Irish PM 'anti-Semitic'

Israel’s Foreign Minister accused Irish Prime Minister, Simon Harris, on Monday of anti-Semitism as he defended Israel’s decision to close its embassy in Dublin over Ireland’s policies, Reuters reports.

“There is a difference between criticism – and anti-Semitism based on the delegitimisation and dehumanisation of Israel and double standards towards Israel,” Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, said in a statement.

He cited Ireland’s support for what he called “politicised” proceedings against Israeli leaders by the International Criminal Court as well as Irish support for an action at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide over its campaign in Gaza.

“Last night Ireland’s anti-Semitic Prime Minister, Simon Harris, said in an interview ‘Ireland is not anti-Israel but Ireland is absolutely anti the starvation of children’,” Saar said. “Is Israel starving children?”

He said Israel was working to enable humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and prevent civilian casualties while he said Hamas was looting aid and using civilians as human shields.

The decision to close the Israeli embassy in Dublin has highlighted Israel’s increasing international isolation over the Gaza war in which it has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, more than 70 per cent women and children, and displaced almost all of the enclaves 2.3 million residents.

Harris has rejected Israel’s criticism, called the decision to close the embassy deeply regrettable and said Ireland would always stand up for human rights and international law.

Israel faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justcice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Isralei Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his previous Defence Minister for crimes against humanity and war crimes as a result of their conduct in Gaza.

READ: Ireland says urging full accountability over destruction in Gaza is not ‘hostile act’