Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland after Dublin choses to join a petition at the International Court of Justice in the Hague accusing the Middle East country of genocide.
South Africa has filed lawsuit at the International Court of Justice on December 2023 accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during Israel war with Palestinian group Hamas, contravening the Genocide Convention, including what South Africa described as Israel’s 75-year apartheid, 56-year occupation, and 16-year blockade of the Strip.
The Genocide Convention was drawn up in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust.
Both Israel and South Africa are signatories to the United Nations Genocide Convention, which gives the ICJ – the highest UN legal body – jurisdiction to rule on disputes over the treaty.
All states that signed the convention are obliged to not commit genocide and also to prevent and punish it. The treaty defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.
Conesus of countries has taken place to form a petition at the ICJ against Israel which Belgium, Bolivia, Egypt, Spain and Mexico have also joined the petition.
The decision to close the embassy was announced by Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar who said it was prompted by the Irish government’s “extreme anti-Israeli policy,” specifying its decision choice to join the ICJ petition.
“It should be noted that in the past, Israel’s ambassador to Dublin was recalled following Ireland’s unilateral decision to recognise a ‘Palestinian state,’ said Sa’ar, adding the move “had been prompted by Ireland’s announcement of its support for South Africa’s legal action against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of ‘genocide.’”
Sa’ar said: “The actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the de-legitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along with double standards. Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel.
“Israel will invest its resources in advancing bilateral relations with countries worldwide according to priorities that also take into account the attitudes and actions of these states toward Israel.”
Ireland’s prime minister Simon Harris said the decision was deeply regrettable: “I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel.”
Israel has not yet decided to close its embassies in Egypt, Spain and Mexico who have also joined the petition.
