Irish government rewards Palestinian terrorism with a state – opinion

Today is a sad day for Ireland-Israel relations and for the nation of Ireland, as almost eight months after the horrors of the October 7 massacre, our political leaders have rewarded Palestinian terrorism with the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. 

Following the worst loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust, Ireland’s new Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Simon Harris, has started as he means to go on - rewarding Palestinian terrorism. 

The Ireland Israel Alliance, which I founded six years ago, opposes the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, as do many others in Ireland, including the vast majority of Ireland’s beleaguered Jewish community. We believe that such a move rewards terrorism and that rather than bringing a peaceful resolution to this tragic conflict, it will only further inflame tensions. Already, Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, has been recalled to Israel for consultations.

Only last month, the Irish government parties stated that the diplomatic representative of the Jewish State was not welcome at their party conferences, while Taoiseach Simon Harris and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin sought to lead the charge on Ireland’s recognition, while lobbying other EU member states to follow suit. 

The message from our political class is clear: the reward for Hamas terrorism and the punishment for Israel’s self-defense is a Palestinian State. Indeed, the Taoiseach could not even afford a full sentence from his remarks at a recent Party conference to the innocents still being brutally held captive in Gaza. Not to mention the lame lip service the new Fine Gael leader offered to the families of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas.

Following a recent security incident targeting the embassy in Ireland, the Irish government decided to fan the flames and cross the picket line to join the voices of hate and violence in our society. This marks a persistent pattern in the Irish political response to October 7 - from UNWRA’s links with Hamas, to saying Irish-Israeli citizen Emily Hand had been ‘lost and found’, to ongoing efforts by the IDF to rescue the hostages, to demonizing Israel and denying Palestinian responsibility for their terrorism. This latest escalation is not the end. There will undoubtedly be further provocations to come – until sense returns, or until the cord linking Dublin and Jerusalem is finally severed.

Since the first news emerged of the massacre of Israeli civilians, security forces, and some 70 foreign nationals, in addition to the ongoing, horrific situation with the hostages still held in Gaza (babies and children included), their families and loved ones not knowing if they are dead or alive – Ireland’s political leaders continue to tarnish our reputation on the international stage. 

Synagogues implemented additional security measures in response to the outpouring of antisemitism, with many Jews and Israelis in Ireland fearful of publicly expressing their identity for fear of attack. Quite simply, where is the voice of reason? Where is the voice of moderation in Irish politics – who will raise the plight of the hostages, who will challenge the rise in antisemitism, who will refuse to support Palestinian terror? Taoiseach Simon Harris and Foreign Minister Micheal Martin now appear determined to even censor the voice of the Jewish State, lest the voice of the Jewish State be heard.

In response, we are organizing a March & Rally in Dublin this Sunday, May 26, at 3 pm. We will be joining several pro-Israel organizations including the Ireland branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, All Nations Church Dublin, Irish Christian Friends of Israel, and the Irish Jewish community. The rally will include key cross-community speakers including the newly inaugurated Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Yoni Wieder. 

Rabbi Weider’s speech will include personal testimonies from the Jewish community in Ireland who feel their viewpoint is being delegitimized by our political and media establishments, as well as their feelings of betrayal at being told that their feelings currently have no space in Irish society.

We can only hope for better days ahead. We will not give up on strengthening the alliance between Ireland and the Jewish state.  

Jackie Goodall is the founder and executive director of the Ireland Israel Alliance, a Dublin-based NGO formed in 2018.

This op-ed is published in partnership with a coalition of organizations that fight antisemitism across the world. Read the previous article by Sophie Kasson.