Ireland–Palestine relations

Ireland–Palestine relations

Ireland	Palestine
Diplomatic mission
Palestinian Embassy, Dublin	Representative Office of Ireland, Ramallah

Ireland–Palestine relations are the bilateral and historical relations between Ireland and Palestine. ^[1] In 2000, Ireland established a representative office in Ramallah and Palestine has an embassy in Dublin. ^[2] Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Ireland, which was the first European Union member state to back Palestine's presence in the UN General Assembly, enjoys closer relations with Palestine than other European countries. In late 2024, Ireland announced it would join South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice. ^{[3] [4]}

Irish politicians have met with leaders of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has criticized European Union president Ursula von der Leyen for her pro-Israel stance. ^[5]

History

In 1969, Irish Foreign Minister Frank Aiken called resolving the conflict in the Middle East as Ireland's "most pressing" foreign policy objective. ^[6] In 2024, Jane Ohlmeyer, a history professor at Trinity College Dublin, noted the tendency to see the conflict through the prism of Northern Ireland, where republican nationalists sympathize with Palestine and loyalists, unionists with Israel". ^[7]

In 1980, Ireland was the first European Union member state to endorse the establishment of a Palestinian state. ^[8]

In 1999 Taoiseach Bertie Ahern went on a two-day trip to Gaza where he met with Yasser Arafat and visited the Jabaliya refugee camp. ^[9] In 2001, the State of Palestine opened a mission in Ireland with Ali Hamineh as its first Delegate-general. ^[10] In September 2001 Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen travelled to Gaza and met with Arafat. ^[11]

In 2009, Hamas leader and then-Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh invited Gerry Adams, the leader of the Irish Sinn Fein party, to Gaza. ^[12] Adams and his delegation met with Haniyeh on 9 April 2009; Adams praised him as a negotiator and would later go on to condemn Haniyeh's assassination by Israel. ^[12]

In January 2011, Ireland accorded the Palestinian delegation in Dublin diplomatic status. ^[13] A few months later, their Foreign Affairs Minister stated that Ireland would recognize Palestinian statehood, but not until the PNA was in full control over its territories. ^[14] In October 2014, the Upper House of the Irish Parliament unanimously passed a motion calling on the Government to recognize the State of Palestine. ^[15] In December 2014, the Lower House of Ireland's Parliament followed suit. ^[16] However, the government said it would recognize Palestine only as part of a broader EU initiative. ^[17]

During the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, the Dáil called Israel's de facto annexation of Palestine illegal. ^[18]

On 22 May 2024, amid increasing international criticism of Israel's actions in the Israel–Hamas war, the Irish Government announced that it recognised the state of Palestine, in a coordinated action with the governments of Norway and Spain. The move was criticised by Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz who announced the recall of the Israeli Ambassador, Dana Erlich. ^[19]

With the United States being seen as a staunch ally of Israel in the Gaza war, the then Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, had acknowledged a "differences of opinions in relation [between the US and Ireland] to Israel and Gaza", particularly regarding the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. ^[20]

Formal diplomatic relations between the Ireland and the state of Palestine were established on 29 September 2024 through an exchange of diplomatic notes. In October 2024, the government of the state of Palestine formally notified the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs of its intention to change Palestine’s representation to a resident embassy under the Vienna Convention. In November 2024, the Irish government approved the appointment of Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid as the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland. ^[21]

See also

• Foreign relations of Ireland
• Foreign relations of Palestine

References

1. "Palestinian-Irish Relations". Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
2. "Palestinian-Irish Relations - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". www.dfa.ie. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
3. Saltman, Max (7 January 2025). "Ireland joins genocide case against Israel at International Court of Justice". CNN. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
4. M.I. "Ireland files a declaration of intervention in the proceedings under Article 63 of the Statute - Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) - Press release". Question of Palestine. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
5. Carroll, Rory; O'Carroll, Lisa (20 November 2023). "'It's part of our psyche': why Ireland sides with 'underdog' Palestine". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 23 February 2025.
6. Ferriter, Diarmaid. "Time for Ireland to recognise Palestine". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
7. Baker, Peter; Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (14 March 2024). "As Irish Leader Visits U.S., Shamrock Camaraderie Is Strained by Gaza War". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
8. "Why the Irish Support Palestine". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
9. Casey, Ruairi (7 June 2021). "What's behind Ireland's support for Palestine?". Al Jazeera.
10. "Mission of the State of Palestine in Ireland".
11. "Cowen, Arafat send sympathy to American people". 11 September 2001.
12. "Gerry Adams on his meeting with Ismail Haniyeh". Sinn Féin. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
13. Jones, Ryan (26 January 2011). "Europe starts process of recognizing Palestine". Israel Today. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
14. "Gilmore 'hopes to recognise full Palestinian state'". The Journal. 22 March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
15. "Senators have agreed to recognise Palestine as an independent state". The Journal. Distilled Media Ltd. 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
16. Ariel, Ben (10 December 2014). "Irish Parliament Urges Government to Recognize 'Palestine'". Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
17. O'Halloran, Marie (20 May 2021). "TDs asked 'do we want to be on right side of history?'". The Irish Times.
18. "Ireland condemns Israel's 'de facto annexation' of Palestine". Al Jazeera. 26 May 2021.
19. Israel furious as three countries recognise Palestinian state
20. McGee, Harry; Duggan, Keith (14 March 2024). "Taoiseach insists he will not dilute Government's criticism of Israel during US trip". The Irish Times . Retrieved 27 March 2024.
21. "Appointment of first full ambassador from Palestine approved by Government". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 January 2025.