From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Irish president: Israel’s antisemitism charge is ‘gross defamation and slander’
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Ireland’s President Michael Higgins calls Israel’s accusations that Ireland is antisemitic “a deep slander,” according to local media.
“I think it is a very serious business to actually brand a people because in fact they disagree with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who is in breach of so many bits of international law,” claims Higgins during a ceremony where Palestinian Authority envoy Jilan Abdalmajid presented her letter of credence.
“I think to suggest that because one criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu that one is antisemitic is such a gross defamation and slander.”
Higgins argues that the accusations are parts of “a pattern to harm Ireland.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Monday defended his decision to close Israel’s embassy in Ireland, saying that Dublin “encouraged” antisemitism under a prime minister he accused of hating Jews.
The Times of Israel Community.