Dublin /PNN / Roddy Keenan

President Michael D Higgins of Ireland has described the Israeli government's accusations of antisemitism against the Irish people as a 'deep slander.' 

President Higgins was responding to Israel's claims that Ireland was guilty of 'antisemitic rhetoric' and the Israeli government's decision to close it's embassy in Dublin. 

The relationship between the two governments has been strained in recent months, particularly since Ireland, along with Spain and Norway, officially recognised the State of Palestine in May 2024.

However, Ireland's announcement last week that it would be supporting South Africa's case against the Israeli apartheid regime at the International Court of Justice appears to have the triggered Israel's latest reaction. On December 11th, the Dublin government said it would formally join South Africa's genocide case and would be asking the Court to 'broaden its interpretation of what constitutes the commission of genocide by a State'.

Responding to Israel's latest accusations, President Higgins slammed them as 'gross defamation' and 'slander'.

It is a very serious business to brand a people as antisemitic because they disagree with Prime Minister Netanyahu,' the president declared, adding that the Israeli prime minister was ‘in breach of so many bits of international law and has breached the sovereignty of three of his neighbours.’

President Higgins also made it clear that Ireland ‘cannot be knocked off  our principle of support for international law.’

The president was speaking at a ceremony in Dublin marking the appointment of the Ambassador of the State of Palestine, Dr Jilan Abdalmajid. Describing the event as 'historic', the president assured the ambassador that Ireland would 'not be deflected' from its support of the Palestinian people. 

'Over the years, I think it is the Irish psyche that we understand the words 'dispossession', 'occupation' and so on,' said President Higgins, referencing Ireland's own historical experience of settler-colonialist oppression, one that is shared with the people of Palestine. 

'That is why we stress the importance of international law and particularly in relation to the rights and obligations of those who are in occupation on what is occupied territory,' the president declared.

Dr Abdalmajid said she was honoured to become the Palestinian ambassador and stated that Palestine and Ireland were bound together by friendship and co-operation.

'I take this opportunity to express our people’s and our leadership’s deep appreciation for the honourable stance of Ireland and its leadership in supporting the legitimate rights of our people in self-determination and in our quest for freedom and independence,' Dr Abdalmajid said, before thanking President Higgins in the Irish language.