Israel to Close Embassy in Ireland Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Israel announced on Sunday that it will close its embassy in Ireland as diplomatic tensions escalated over the ongoing war in Gaza. Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials reported that recent Israeli airstrikes have killed over 46 people, including several children.
The embassy closure comes in response to what Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described as Ireland's “extreme anti-Israel policies.” In May, Israel recalled its ambassador to Dublin after Ireland, along with Norway, Spain, and Slovenia, announced plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
Tensions further heightened after Ireland’s Cabinet decided last week to intervene in South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza—allegations Israel firmly denies. Ireland’s Foreign Minister Michael Martin defended the move, stating that a narrow interpretation of genocide risks creating a “culture of impunity” and downplaying civilian protections.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Ireland, stating it had “crossed every red line” in its relations with Israel. In response, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called the decision to close the embassy “deeply regrettable,” rejecting claims that Ireland is anti-Israel. He emphasized that Ireland stands for “peace, human rights, and international law.”
Meanwhile, Israel continued its military offensive in Gaza. Airstrikes on Sunday targeted multiple areas, reportedly killing dozens, including children and journalists. In Khan Younis, a strike on a school resulted in at least 16 deaths, according to Nasser Hospital. In northern Gaza, an airstrike on a school in Beit Hanoun killed at least 15 people, while attacks on homes in Gaza City claimed 17 lives, including women and children, according to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.
A grieving survivor, Yahia al-Yazji, described the aftermath, saying, “I woke up with rubble on top of me... I found my wife with her skull exposed and my daughter’s intestines gone.” His wife, who was three months pregnant, was among the victims.
In another strike, Ahmed al-Lawh, a Palestinian journalist working for Al Jazeera, was killed in central Gaza, alongside three civil defense workers, including the head of Gaza's rescue agency. The agency operates under Gaza's Hamas-run government. A colleague questioned, “We are carrying out humanitarian work like in any country. Why are we being targeted?”
Israel’s military claimed responsibility for some of the strikes, stating it targeted a “terrorist cell” and a “militant command center embedded in civil defense offices.”
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since killed nearly 45,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which reports that more than half of the casualties are women and children. The offensive has displaced most of Gaza’s 2 million residents, leaving many facing hunger and lacking essential supplies.
Cindy McCain, head of the World Food Program, highlighted the humanitarian crisis, stating that only two aid trucks reached Gaza in November due to security challenges. “We need a ceasefire, and we need it now,” she urged, warning of looming starvation across the region.
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