Dana Erlich said she had heard of Israelis requesting to be relocated elsewhere or asking to return homeSimon Harris condemns “horrific” missile strike on refugees in RafahMicheál Martin said EU foreign ministers have discussed the prospect of sanctions against Israel if it doesn’t comply with ICJ rulingStatehood recognition to be formalised tomorrow by Ireland, Norway and Spain
Speaking in Jerusalem, Dana Erlich said that a crisis in bilateral ties over Ireland’s plan to recognise the Palestinian state tomorrow sends the wrong message about Ireland as a tech hub and is worrying Israeli investors in the Irish IT services sector.
“I think it’s a distraction quite frankly,” Mr Harris said in response today at a Fine Gael election launch.
Asked if he believed Ms Erlich was threatening Ireland with economic retaliation for his decision to recognise Palestine through her remarks, Mr Harris responded: “The ambassador can say what the ambassador wishes to say.
“This is a country that complies with diplomatic norms, and treats ambassadors with respect.
“It certainly doesn’t parade ambassadors in front of television cameras where videos are played with horrific films. We will continue to treat all ambassadors with respect.”
Simon Harris made reference a missile attack on Rafah in which dozens of people were killed at a camp for displaced people. It followed a Hamas rocket attack on Tel Aviv in which no injuries were reported.
“I was very clear last week when we announced with Norway and Spain that we had decided to recognise the state of Palestine because we believe in a two state solution,” he said.
“We believe in the state of Israel and in the state of Palestine, living side by side in peace and stability. And we believe it at a time when others are seeking to bomb that hope to oblivion,” he continued.
“And quite frankly, I think many people in Israel, many people in Palestine and many the world over are able to differentiate between the people of Israel and the Netanyahu government. I, certainly, am able to differentiate between the two, just like we can we can differentiate between right and wrong.”
Rather than anybody seeking to distract, he said: “I think what should concern the entire world today are the barbaric, horrific scenes that we saw last night in Rafah, where a displaced persons centre was attacked. Imagine a place where parents bring their children for safety and security, a place that is meant to be to some degree of refuge and safety. At this most horrific time it was attacked and bombed and 45 people are dead.
“That is the humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding in the Middle East. I don’t think anybody fully comprehends the scale of this.”
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said EU foreign ministers have for the first time discussed the prospect of sanctions against Israel if it does not comply with an order from the International Court of Justice.
He suggested Ireland would support such an approach.
“Certainly, if compliance [with Friday’s ICJ ruling] isn’t forthcoming, then we have to consider all options,” he said.
The Taoiseach also said sanctions against Israel are not “off the table”.
He told Ireland AM: “In relation to sanctions, I don’t think anything can be off the table when it comes to Israel, particularly with what we’re seeing currently happening in Rafah now, when we’re seeing the international community being ignored, when we’re seeing international courts being ignored.”
Last week, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah.
Ireland, Norway and Spain will formally recognise Palestinian statehood on Tuesday.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Brussels today, Micheál Martin said the move was in search of a “fundamental paradigm shift” between a peaceful two-state solution to the conflict.
He added: “Some have framed our decision to recognise the state of Palestine as a move to impose an outcome on the parties or as somehow a reward for terror.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. We have recognised both the State of Israel and the state of Palestine precisely because we want to see a future of normalised relations between the two peoples.”
Mr Martin said there can be no military solution to the conflict as he criticised any group using violence or terrorism to eliminate the state of Israel or Palestine.
He said: “I condemn the violence of yesterday. The rockets that were struck at Tel Aviv and the heinous attack on the Rafah tent refugee camp where innocent children and civilians were killed.”
He added: “What we witnessed last night is barbaric. Gaza is a very small enclave, densely populated conurbation.
“One cannot bomb an area like that without shocking consequences in terms of innocent children and civilians.”
Mr Martin called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.
Speaking in Jerusalem earlier, where she has held foreign ministry consultations after being recalled in protest, Dana Erlich said she hopes to return to Ireland, though she saw the Irish Government as siding with the Palestinians against Israel.
The statehood recognition is due to be formalised tomorrow in conjunction with Spain and Norway. The United States and some other European countries favour reviving negotiations on resolving the conflict first.
The move by Ireland, Spain and Norway was denounced as a “reward for terrorism” by Israel, which is waging a devastating war in Gaza with knock-on fighting on other fronts in response to the October 7 cross-border rampage by Hamas.
Ireland recognises the state of Palestine
Ms Erlich said all aspects of Israeli-Irish ties were under review but stopped short of predicting further action by her government, which has continued sparring with Madrid.
“Ireland is not neutral or an honest broker in this case, because they are very supportive of the Palestinians. But what we are saying (is): this is not the time for such announcement on recognition,” said Ms Erlich.
The Irish Government says recognition of Palestinian statehood may benefit Israel by reviving stalled peace negotiations.
Ms Erlich said many Irish people sympathise with Israel “behind the scenes”. She added: “I think there is a lot of potential in our bilateral relations, if it’s cybersecurity or health care, climate change. I hope to be given that opportunity to continue that.”
But she said a public mood of hostility is making Israelis question their place in Ireland – a threat to tech services that account for the lion’s share of around €5bn in annual trade between the countries.
“We are getting more and more phone calls and hearing conversations of concerned people – if it’s Israelis who invest in Ireland and are concerned about their investment, if it’s Israelis who have relocated to Ireland into different tech companies and either are requesting to be relocated somewhere else or asking to return to Israel,” said Ms Erlich.
Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah, southern Gaza. Health workers said at least 35 people were killed in the area. Photo: AP
“I think it sends the wrong message about the location and the centrality of Ireland as a tech hub when there are more and more people who are concerned about moving to Ireland. I don’t think this is the message that Ireland wants to send to the world and this is not what we want to see.”
The business connection has already been hit by the decision announced on February 5 by Israel’s national carrier, El Al, not to renew direct flights to Dublin that were launched last year, citing changes in customer demands since the Gaza war.
The Government has rejected calls by pro-Palestinian activists to impose sanctions or an economic boycott on Israel.
But on April 5, Ireland said its €15bn sovereign investment fund would divest from six Israeli companies, including some of its largest banks, over their activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Gaza war broke out a month after Ms Erlich arrived in Dublin, plunging her into 24/7 crisis-management.
“There are many similarities between Ireland and Israel that I’m curious to learn more about – if it’s a reviving of an ancient language, if it’s the diaspora, if it’s the different scenic options,” she said.
“And I hope to be given that opportunity to continue exploring Ireland. But right now, we need to address our concerns.”