Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced that the country was closing its embassy in Ireland because of a host of “antisemitic rhetoric” and “efforts to delegitimize and demonize the Jewish state.” While it is well understood that any sovereign country is free to open or close embassies in bilateral fora, it was interesting to see Israel’s foreign minister include a charge of how Ireland treated its own Jewish citizens, stating the “government has failed to take effective measures to combat the surge of antisemitism within Ireland.”

The Jewish State was reestablished in 1948 as a place where Jews were guaranteed self-determination and protection within its borders. Israel is also considering the fate of Jews in the diaspora as it weighs its international dealings.

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An Open Letter To Israel’s Diaspora Minister (March 2023)