Ireland: Israel Embassy Will Soon Be Closed

Israel has announced it will close its embassy in Dublin, Ireland, due to “anti-Israel policies” that the Irish government has expressed most recently. On the other hand, Ireland has openly opposed Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which has left thousands of people dead.

According to a statement by Gideon Saar, the Israeli Foreign Minister, the Israeli embassy in Dublin will be closed due to the “actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel,” Schengen.News reports.

The decision to close the Israeli Embassy in the Irish capital could also be fueled by Ireland’s support of South Africa’s legal action against Israel, which was made at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Ireland’s decision to recognise the Palestinian state as of May 2024. 

“Ireland Is Not Anti-Israel”, PM Harris Says 
Simon Harris, the Irish Prime Minister, denied claims that his government is against Israel and called the move a “deeply regrettable decision.”

Moreover, Micheal Martin, the Irish Foreign Minister, denied claims of Israel closing its embassy in Dublin. The Minister noted that there were no plans for this embassy to be closed and pointed out that this centre carries out important work. According to him, the two countries will continue to maintain their diplomatic relations.

Thousands of Palestinians Sought Asylum to EU in 2023 – Belgium Received Most of Requests 
According to figures from the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGVS), Palestinians have filed most asylum claims in Belgium since March. 

As data reveals, from January to June this year, a total of 2,506 Palestinians filed for asylum in Belgium. In total, throughout 2023, there have been 3,249 applications. 

In addition to Palestinians, Syrians and Eritreans have also filed most claims for asylum, both due to conflicts that are ongoing in the respective countries. However, no particular reason why Belgium is particularly appealing to Palestinians has not been revealed.

Source: https://schengen.news/ireland-israel-embassy-will-soon-be-closed/