LAST UPDATE | 14 Mar

THREE REPRESENTATIVES FROM Jewish organisations met with Micheál Martin this evening in Washington, where the Taoiseach was questioned about the “antisemitism and vilification of Israel” in Ireland.

Following reports yesterday that a number of Jewish organisations had pulled out of the meeting, Martin’s plans to talk to Jewish leaders in the US went ahead today. 

During the meeting, Martin spoke to representatives from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

The conversation went well, according to the Taoiseach, with a spokesperson saying that Martin “welcomed the opportunity to discuss the impact of rising antisemitism on Jewish communities around the world, including in Ireland”.

“It was a very positive engagement and we agreed a number of actions we can follow up on in the coming time,” the spokesperson added.

The engagement came shortly after Martin “utterly” rejected claims reportedly made by Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, that he was antisemitic.

Speaking earlier today, he said it was “absurd” to label him antisemitic and said that “there’s an element of deliberate undermining of Ireland’s position and distortion of Ireland’s position in respect of this”.

Martin described how he wanted to have the meeting to present the “prism through which Ireland has looked at the Middle East”.

After the meeting, the AJC outlined how the the groups wanted to directly address concerns about “antisemitism and the demonisation of Israel in Ireland”.

They added that Ireland is seen as “one of the most problematic countries in Europe”.

AJC director of international Jewish affairs Rabbi Andrew Baker claimed that antisemitism is “pervasive” in Ireland, posing “serious risks” for the 3,000 Jews here, many of whom hold Israeli citizenship.

“Alongside physical harassment and attacks, widespread anti-Israel sentiment — including in parts of the government — affects daily life. Jewish school children face bullying, university students encounter hostility, and workplaces are increasingly unwelcoming,” Baker said.

In the meeting, Baker expressed AJC’s “grave concern over Ireland’s vilification of the State of Israel”, in particular joining the South African case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

It also raised Irish President Michael Higgins’ “attacks on Israel”, and Martin’s “own deeply problematic remarks”.

The AJC said Martin had accused Israel of committing war crimes, pursuing “collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” as well as using “starvation as a weapon of war”.

The group said that Baker explained that these statements are “contributing to antisemitism facing Ireland’s Jews” and urged him to pull back from its engagement with the ICJ.

The ACJ said if such action and statements continue, it will advocate for the US government to “take serious action in response”.

Occupied Territories Bill

During the meeting, the Taoiseach was asked not to pursue the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

The Jewish delegation told reporters after the meeting that Martin had informed them that the bill was “no longer on the legislative calendar”.

The existing bill is not in the Government’s published legislative schedule, but Martin previously signalled the Government was instead likely to seek to create a new Bill with its required changes.

He had explained that the Government’s position was explained and that the bill will be reviewed.

The spokesman said the Government is committed to the bill, but it will not be brought forward this term.

Additional reporting by Jane Matthews in Washington DC