By The Jerusalem Post (World News) | Created at 2024-09-23 17:05:16 | Updated at 2024-09-30 07:33:05
6 days ago
The Israeli Embassy in Ireland issued a statement in response to Higgins' claim, calling it a "baseless accusation" and that it is "highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous."
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 19:48
President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins addresses the "Summit of the Future" in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, US, September 22, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/David Dee Delgado)
Irish President Michael D. Higgins accused the Israeli embassy in Dublin on Sunday of leaking a letter where he congratulated his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian for his new position in office.
Higgins made this accusation at the UN headquarters in Manhattan, where he answered reporters' questions that he "certainly" knew from where the letter was leaked and said that it was from the Israeli embassy.
"Why don’t you ask where it came from? … Where the criticism came from and how the letter was circulated and by whom and for what purpose?" multiple sources quoted him as saying. Higgins made these accusations against Israel without evidence.
In his letter, Higgins told Pezeshkian that Iran had a "crucial role" in trying to achieve peace in the Middle East.
Response by the Israeli embassy in Dublin
The Israeli Embassy in Ireland issued a statement in response to Higgins' claim, calling it a "baseless accusation" and that it is "highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous, and the embassy rejects it completely.
"The fact remains that the letter was written, and therefore it is the burden of the author to defend its content, which did not mention the threat Iran poses in the region, that it calls for Israel's destruction," the embassy continued, "that it arms and funds terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, not to mention the violations of human rights against its citizens."
The embassy also said that, since October 7, Ireland has subjected Israel "to a high level of malicious statements and accusations that have often manifested as incitement to hatred.”
The embassy had initially responded to Higgins' letter to his Iranian counterpart at the beginning of the month, saying that "Sending a congratulatory letter to the President of Iran could have served as an opportunity to address this theocratic dictatorship which oppresses its people, especially women, and question their policies and express concerns from their actions."
Defending the Irish President's words
The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris, who was also at the UN in New York City, defended Higgins, the BBC reported, stating that his colleague was concerned with civilians in Gaza while also accusing Israel of continuing to allow a horrific humanitarian situation to continue.
"I think the Israeli embassy should be focusing on things other than amplifying, circulating or referencing a letter that does conform with normal diplomatic protocol between heads of state," BBC quoted Harris as saying. "I have no interest whatsoever in getting into any sort of tit-for-tat or back-or-forth with the Israeli embassy or the government of a country that is continuing to allow this horrific humanitarian situation to continue."
