WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)– American Jewish Committee (AJC) Director of International Jewish Affairs Rabbi Andrew Baker met on Friday, March 14, with Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin during his official visit to Washington to directly address concerns about antisemitism and the demonization of Israel in Ireland, seen as one of the most problematic countries in Europe.
AJC, the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, has been in close touch with Ireland’s Jewish community as the situation has worsened following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. ADL Senior Vice President for International Affairs, Ambassador Marina Rosenberg, also participated in the meeting.
“Antisemitism is pervasive in Ireland, posing serious risks for its 3,000 Jews, 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,” said Baker, who also serves as the OSCE Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism. “For years, AJC has warned European governments about rising antisemitism. Now, after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack, surging anti-Jewish hatred is putting communities at even greater risk.”
In the meeting, Baker expressed AJC’s grave concern over Ireland’s vilification of the State of Israel–notably its joining of the South African case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, Irish President Michael Higgins’s attacks on Israel, and the Prime Minister’s own deeply problematic remarks. The Prime Minister has accused Israel of committing war crimes, pursuing “collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” as well as using “starvation as a weapon of war.”
Baker explained that these actions and statements are contributing to antisemitism facing Ireland’s Jews and separating Ireland from nearly all of its European neighbors, and urged him to pull back from the country’s ICJ engagement. The Prime Minister took note of this but gave no indication that the policy would change. Should these actions and statements continue, AJC will advocate for the U.S. government to take serious action in response.
The meeting came as the Prime Minister hastily announced two weeks ago that his government would adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, making Ireland one of the last EU Member States to do so. The country also recently adopted the Global Guidelines for Combating Antisemitism, though it has not yet implemented them.
Baker urged the Prime Minister to follow the examples of other countries and ensure that the Working Definition is used to train police and educators and to inform the general public. He explained that American policymakers, at AJC’s urging, are paying attention to these issues in Ireland. Baker also noted that had the definition–which describes antisemitism as it relates to Israel–been adopted earlier and enforced, the country may have better understood how to better combat antisemitism over the last 16 months.
In response, the Prime Minister told the AJC and ADL leaders that Ireland would soon appoint a national coordinator to oversee efforts to counter antisemitism as well as develop a national strategy. He acknowledged the importance of expanding educational efforts to address the problem.
Baker also raised with the Prime Minister the country’s Occupied Territories Bill and urged him to reject this legislation, which would threaten any Irish citizen who has even the most modest commercial dealings with Jewish establishments in Israel’s “occupied territories,” including East Jerusalem. As former Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter noted, under this bill, he could purchase a kippah in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem and find himself arrested and imprisoned upon returning home to Dublin. The Prime Minister said the legislation as drafted is probably unconstitutional and unenforceable. While not dispensing with it outright, he said it was no longer on the legislative calendar.
Due to Irish President Higgins’ stance toward Israel, the Irish Jewish community had requested that he not attend January’s International Holocaust Day commemoration in Dublin. The President not only attended, but in his speech, attacked Israel and promoted a form of Holocaust inversion. The solemn national commemoration was clouded by protests in response to the President’s actions. Baker recalled that when he spoke at the commemoration ceremonies in 2016, “I was the only person to utter the word ‘antisemitism’ at that event. Unfortunately, Holocaust distortion in Ireland is not new.” The Jewish community has asked to be given the primary role of organizing future Holocaust commemoration ceremonies and Baker and Rosenberg urged the Prime Minister to support this change.
“It has taken Ireland years to just pay lip service to combating antisemitism and that is clearly not sufficient,” said Baker. “AJC made clear to the Prime Minister that his own words and actions, which are so antagonistic toward Israel, have real consequences for the sense of safety, security, and acceptance of Ireland’s Jewish community and we urged him to change course.”
Maurice Cohen, head of the Irish Jewish Community, voiced his gratitude toward AJC and ADL for meeting with the Prime Minister. “We are delighted that the meeting took place and the Prime Minister could hear directly from these most important American Jewish organizations.”
President of the European Jewish Congress (EJC) Ariel Muzicant weighed in on the importance of the meeting, “EJC welcomes and supports any help our Jewish communities in Europe can get in this difficult fight, especially from AJC.”
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Preceding provided by the American Jewish Committee