Israel’s ambassador to Ireland has criticised Taoiseach Leo Varadkar over his "revenge" comments he made when describing Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The ambassador also questioned the Government’s neutrality, as when questioned whether we could be potential peace brokers, she said: “I don’t think it’s politically neutral.”
Ambassador Dana Erlich was speaking on Tuesday evening after showing media a video in the Israeli embassy in Dublin purporting to be of the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 that killed 1,400 Israelis.
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The Israeli authorities say 242 hostages were also taken that day, one month ago, including, it has emerged over recent days, eight year-old Irish/Israeli girl, Emily Hand. Ms Erlich updated reporters on how Emily was presumed dead, before DNA and other tests proved to the Israelis that she had not been killed.
The backlash from Israeli forces has now seen over 10,000 Palestinians killed and over 1.5 million people displaced from their homes, many of which have been destroyed. The video and audio seen and heard by the Irish Mirror was both shocking and harrowing.
Ms Erlich said that she wants “the world to see” and confirmed that she will be contacting politicians in Leinster House to organise a viewing for anyone interested. At the roundtable interview with reporters following the media viewing in the Israeli embassy on Shelbourne Road in Dublin, Ms Erlich took questions.
Mr Varadkar caused an international stir last Friday when he described Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas attack as “something that resembles more approaching revenge.” The Irish Mirror asked if she thought these comments were appropriate.
She said: “All I know is the truth.
“We hit specific targets…. Every day the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) gives a briefing.”
Ambassador Erlich then specifically criticised Mr Varadkar’s comments: “I do not know why he said it, it is an operation to keep our people safe.”
The ambassador was damning of pro-Palestinian protestors and believes that they are anti-Semitic. She said that the banners seen at marches in Ireland bearing the slogans “From River to Sea” are backing the obliteration of the Israel state from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.
Ms Erlich said: “That is by definition anti-Semitic.”
This led to questions about Ireland’s stated neutrality and whether Israel considers Ireland, its people and the Government to be impartial and a potential interlocutor between the warring sides.
She said: “I don’t know if Ireland wants to play that part.”
Meanwhile, in the Dail, the Taoiseach again faced down calls to impose sanctions on Israel, or expel the Israeli ambassador, Ms Erlich, as a sign of protest against their war in Gaza. Social Democrats leader, Holly Cairns, raised the issue during Leaders’ Questions, calling for the EU’s trade deal with Israel to be suspended until the Israeli government complies with international law.
She said: “The ambivalent response of the international community to the litany of war crimes being carried out in Gaza is shameful.
“The UN Security Council is toothless; the UN General Assembly is powerless; and the EU is rudderless.
“Ireland is one of only a small number of countries in the West to have condemned Israel’s multiple breaches of international law.
“While words of condemnation are important, they are not enough and must be followed by action.”
Sinn Fein called for the Israeli ambassador to be expelled.
Mr Varadkar said: “On the matter of the Israeli ambassador, it’s not the Government’s intention to expel the Israeli ambassador and that is for very good reasons.
“Even countries at war have ambassadors.
“We have not expelled the Russian ambassador and I don’t think anyone in the house is as supportive of Ukraine as I’ve been, in meaningful ways, not just in words.
“We have a situation now where we have about 40 Irish citizens in Gaza, and we want them to be able to leave if they want to leave.
“And we have an Irish citizen (Emily Hand) who may be held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, and we wanted to get her out.”
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