On Sunday evening, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar strongly criticized Irish President Michael Higgins after he used his address at an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event to take a swipe at Israel. During his speech, Higgins mentioned the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and seemed to link the atrocities of the Holocaust with the current situation, which erupted after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Higgins remarked, “When wars and conflicts become accepted or presented as seemingly unending, humanity is a loser. War is not the natural condition of humanity. Cooperation is.” He went on to suggest that world leaders must be made “acutely aware” of the “complicit actions of silence or the averted gaze of those who, by their indifference, allowed the Holocaust to be planned, prepared and to occur.”
In his speech, Higgins also commended the “long-overdue ceasefire” in Gaza, asserting that it and the agreement for hostage releases were welcomed by “those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of the hostages,” as well as “thousands searching for relatives in the rubble” of Gaza.
Reports from Irish media indicated that several attendees left the event in protest of Higgins’ comments, and some were reportedly escorted out by security. Sa’ar responded to these events by accusing Higgins of using Holocaust Memorial Day as a platform for a “cheap, despicable provocation.”
Sa’ar further stated, “The biggest murderous attack against Jews since the Holocaust was perpetrated from Jihadist Gaza. Nonetheless, he echoed Hamas’ antisemitic lies and propaganda at a Holocaust memorial ceremony, leading to the removal of Jews, descendants of Holocaust survivors, from the event.” He added, “What a despicable person. What a distorted policy. Shame!”
The Irish Jewish community had already expressed their displeasure at Higgins being selected to speak at the Holocaust remembrance event, citing his history of anti-Israel rhetoric. This includes dismissing antisemitism in Ireland, criticizing the Israeli embassy in Dublin, and condemning Israel’s actions against Hamas.
In response to Higgins’ actions, Sa’ar announced the closure of the Israeli embassy in Ireland, accusing the country of delegitimizing Israel, dehumanizing its citizens, and applying double standards in its approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Higgins fired back at these claims, calling Israel’s accusations of antisemitism “a gross defamation” and “deep slander,” and further asserted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is in breach of so many bits of international law and has breached the sovereignty of Lebanon, Syria and would like to have settlement in Egypt.” Sa’ar’s retort was unequivocal: “Once an antisemitic liar – always an antisemitic liar.”
{Matzav.com}