Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar criticized Irish President Michael Higgins for his remarks on Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday in a post on X/Twitter.
Sa'ar dubbed the president's comments "despicable," noting, "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 [Higgins] echoed Hamas' anti-Semitic lies and propaganda at a Holocaust memorial ceremony, leading to the removal of Jews, descendants of Holocaust survivors, from the event," Sa'ar further wrote.
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…
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) January 26, 2025
In his speech, Higgins referred to the Israel-Hamas War and the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Footage from the event showed protesters being forcefully escorted away from the premises.
Unfassbar !!! Der irische Präsident Michael D. Higgins nutzte ausgerechnet die Bühne des Internationalen Holocaust-Gedenktags, um Israel wegen des Kriegs in Gaza scharf zu kritisieren. Juden im Publikum, die ihren Unmut äußerten, wurden kurzerhand gewaltsam aus dem Saal geworfen. pic.twitter.com/UVvseMnwgV
— Ahmad Mansour ️ (@AhmadMansour__) January 26, 2025
"It is to be hoped that those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of hostages, or the thousands searching for relatives in the rubble in Gaza will welcome the long-overdue ceasefire," Higgins said.
He addressed "the heavy price" paid during the conflict, "the loss of civilian life, the majority women and children, their displacement, loss of homes, the necessary institutions for life itself.
"The current agreement must end the killing, but, as a matter of urgency, deliver the massive scale-up in humanitarian aid which is urgently needed to save more lives. It is important that all remaining hostages are released and that all phases of the agreement are fully implemented," he added.
"It is to be hoped that the agreement will not only bring an end to the horrific loss of life and destruction which has taken place, but that it will also mark the beginning of meaningful discussions, and that the sustained diplomatic initiative which has been missing from the international community, with tragic consequences, will commence, may bring a meaningful peace and security to Israel, Palestine, and the greater region," the Irish president noted.
"A peace that will address the root causes of the conflict as well as its aftermath, and be premised on the upholding of human rights."
Higgins further stated, "It is important that all in each generation and political leaders are made acutely aware of not just the consequences of an attempted genocide, but of the complicit actions of silence, of the averted gaze, of those who, by their culpable indifference, allowed the Holocaust to be planned, prepared and to occur, and of course there were those who refused to respond to the desperate pleas of those who were seeking refuge from it."
Concerns over speech
Earlier in January, Irish Jewish leaders objected to the decision to have President Higgins deliver the Holocaust Remembrance Day speech due to concerns that he had overlooked antisemitism in Ireland.
Ireland's Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder noted that the president had “neglected even to acknowledge the scourge of contemporary antisemitism in Ireland, let alone do anything to address it," resulting in his speech ringing “hollow for many Irish Jews."
Jewish Representative Council of Ireland member Maurice Cohen made similar comments to The Jewish Chronicle, stating, “It would be inappropriate for President Higgins to deliver the keynote speech at Holocaust Memorial Day.”
In December, Sa'ar announced he had decided to close the Israeli embassy in Ireland, stating the Irish government had engaged in "double standards and antisemitic rhetoric" against the Jewish State, actions which were "rooted in efforts to delegitimize and demonize" Israel.
Michael Starr contributed to this report.