Irish President Michael Higgins
Irish President Michael HigginsReuters/PA IMAGES

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday evening blasted Irish President Michael Higgins, after Higgins took advantage of his speech at an event in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day to criticize Israel.

In his remarks, Higgins discussed the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and appeared to draw a line between the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust and the war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.

“When wars and conflicts become accepted or presented as seemingly unending, humanity is a loser. War is not the natural condition of humanity. Cooperation is,” said Higgins.

He asserted that world leaders should be made “acutely aware” of the “complicit actions of silence or the averted gaze of those who, by their indifference, allowed the Holocaust to be planned, prepared and to occur.”

Higgins praised the “long-overdue ceasefire” in Gaza and stated that he believes that the ceasefire and hostage release deal has been welcomed by “those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of the hostages,” as well as the “thousands searching for relatives in the rubble” of Gaza.

According to reports in Irish media, a number of protesters walked out of the room in protest of Higgins’ remarks, while some were forcibly removed from the room by security.

Sa’ar said in response, “Even on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Irish President Michael Higgins couldn't help himself and resorted to a cheap, despicable provocation.”

“The biggest murderous attack against Jews since the Holocaust was perpetrated from Jihadist Gaza. Nonetheless, he echoed Hamas' antisemitic lies and propaganda at a Holocaust memorial ceremony, leading to the removal of Jews, descendants of Holocaust survivors, from the event,” he added.

“What a despicable person. What a distorted policy. Shame!” stated Sa’ar.

The Jewish community in Ireland had previously expressed outrage over Higgins being chosen as the keynote speaker at the ceremony.

Critics pointed to President Higgins’ record of anti-Israel rhetoric, including denying the presence of antisemitism in Ireland, criticizing the Israeli embassy in Dublin, and condemning Israel’s actions against Hamas.

Last month, Sa’ar announced that the Israeli embassy in Ireland will be closed, accusing Ireland of delegitimizing and dehumanizing Israel as well as applying double standards in its approach to Israel's conflict with Hamas.

In response, Higgins lashed out at Israel, and said that its accusations that the Irish people are antisemitic are a “gross defamation” and “deep slander”, while claiming that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is in breach of so many bits of international law and has breached the sovereignty of Lebanon, Syria and would like to have settlement in Egypt.”

Sa’ar responded to Higgins and said, “Once an antisemitic liar - always an antisemitic liar.”