Ireland |
Israel |
Ireland–Israel relations are foreign relations between Ireland and Israel.
Since January 25, 1996, Ireland has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Dublin. The Israeli ambassador to Ireland is Boaz Modai[1] and the Irish ambassador to Israel is Breifne O'Reilly.[2] Both countries are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean.
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The commercial relationship between Israel and Ireland goes back to the early days of Israeli statehood. In 1988, Israeli exports to Ireland were valued at $23.5 million, while Irish exports to Israel were valued at $32.8 million. By 1998, the figures were up to $196 million and $230 million respectively. Irish exports now total $344 million and Israeli exports are close to $200 million.
Israeli exports to Ireland include machinery and electronics, rubber and plastics, chemicals, textiles, optical/medical equipment, gems, and fruit and vegetables. Irish exports to Israel include machinery and electronics, chemicals, textiles, foodstuffs, beverages, and optical/medical equipment.[3] A bilateral agreement on double taxation signed in 1995 has facilitated economic cooperation.[4]
According to Haaretz newspaper, Ireland was the most popular destination for Israeli holidaymakers in 2000. In 2004, a peak number of Irish nationals visited Israel to attend the Ireland-Israel World Cup qualifying match.[4]
Although relations between Israel and Ireland are usually cordial, there has also been much tension.
Irish politicians have historically been sympathetic and supportive of the Palestinians, and often harshly critical of Israeli actions, sometimes comparing Israel's treatment of Palestinians to Nazi treatment of Jews. Numerous members of the Oireachtas have used strong language to condemn Israeli actions, even calling for a boycott of Israel and for the expulsion of Israeli diplomats.[5]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1975. Prior to 1975, Ireland had refused to establish relations due to Israel's alleged violations of UN Resolutions. In 1981, however, Ireland condemned Israel's attack on Iraq's nuclear reactor. Ireland did not allow an Israeli embassy to open until December 20, 1993. Two weeks prior to that, Ireland had allowed PLO Leader Yasser Arafat to visit and open a delegation.
The Irish government has provided financial aid to numerous non-governmental organizations highly critical of Israel, some of which promote boycotts and sanctions against Israel.[6] Ireland annually provides 7.5 million euro in aid to the Palestinians, including 3.5 million for UNRWA.[7]
In 1978, the Irish Army contributed forces to Lebanon as part of UNIFIL, a UN peacekeeping force in Southern Lebanon, which was the scene of fierce fighting between Israeli forces and their proxy militias and Lebanese guerillas. From 1978 to 2000, Ireland contributed over 40,000 troops to UNIFIL, and was the country's largest military involvement outside its own borders. Tensions erupted between the two countries over alleged mistreatment of Irish forces by the Israel Defense Forces. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Irish troops regularly called in the Israelis to threaten and discipline them over their treatment of Irish peacekeepers. Irish Foreign Minister Brian Lenihan said that much of his sympathy for Israel disappeared when he saw how Irish soldiers were treated.[8] Irish forces were a major participant in the Battle of At Tiri, where UNIFIL troops withstood an attack by the South Lebanon Army, an Israeli-backed militia, after it attempted to set up a checkpoint in At Tiri. One Irish soldier was killed in the battle. Following the 2006 Lebanon War, Ireland deployed a unit of 150 troops to protect Finnish Army engineers.[9]
In 1978, Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland, secretly trained Egyptian Air Force pilots, at a time when Israel and Egypt were still in peace talks, and had yet to sign a treaty.[10]
In 2003, the Irish government opposed the building of Israel's security wall in the West Bank.
According to WikiLeaks, following the 2006 Lebanon War, Ireland prevented the United States from moving military equipment destined for Israel through Shannon Airport.[11]
On 19 January 2010, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh a senior Hamas military commander was assassinated in Dubai by a team of eight suspected Mossad officers who used counterfeit European passports, including Irish passports.[12] The Irish government responded by expelling a staff member of the Israeli Embassy in Dublin.[13] Ireland subsequently delayed an EU-Israel agreement which would involve allowing Israel to access sensitive information on EU citizens, and demanded that Israel tighten its data protection laws.[14]
On 5 June 2010, an Irish humanitarian aid vessel MV Rachel Corrie heading for Gaza, was intercepted and seized by the Israeli Navy.[15] This caused political tension between Ireland and Israel.[16]
In August 2010, Irish journalist Kevin Myers noted that "irrational Israelophobia" was powerful in Ireland, and called the post of ambassador to Ireland "just about the worst assignment an Israeli diplomat can ever get".[17]
On 25 January 2011, Ireland upgraded the Palestinian envoy in Ireland to that of a full embassy which resulted in the Irish Ambassador to Israel being summoned. Israel announced that it "regrets" the decision.[18]
On 4 November 2011, the Irish ship MV Saoirse carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was intercepted by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Navy boarded the ship, took those aboard in custody and towed it to Ashdod. In response, Irish Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore stated that the Irish government do "not agree with [the Gaza blockade], (...) regard it as contrary to international humanitarian law in its impact on the civilian population of Gaza, and (...) have repeatedly urged Israel to end a policy which is unjust, counter-productive and amounts to collective punishment of 1.5 million Palestinians."[19]
In November 2011, the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign ran a display at the city's main pedestrian street, where pro-Palestinian activists set up a mock Israeli checkpoint and roadblock. Activists dressed as Israeli soldiers then beat and humiliated activists dressed as Palestinians. There were mistaken reports that the soldiers were dressed as Nazi soldiers, and that the event was sponsored by Dublin City Council.[20]
There were mistaken reports that an auditorium scheduled to host a concert by Israeli singer Izhar Ashdot was vandalized, however these were dismissed by the venue's managing director.[21] Attempts were made to disrupt a film festival organized by the Israeli embassy in Dublin. The Facebook pages of Israeli diplomats were attacked by Irish hackers. On 16 November 2011, unnamed sources from the Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed that "Ireland (is the) most hostile country in Europe" and was "pushing all of Europe's countries to a radical and uncompromising approach". An unnamed official argued that "the Irish government is feeding its people with anti-Israel hatred" and that "what we are seeing here is clear anti-Semitism." An official from the Irish Foreign Affairs Department announced that "the Government is critical of Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories. It is not hostile to Israel and it is clearly wrong to suggest as much," he said. "The notion that this Government is or would be trying to stoke up anti-Israeli feeling is untrue. We are not hostile to Israel. We are critical of policies, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories. These are not the same things".[22][23]
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