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23rd May 2024
11:39am BST
Israel has warned there will be "severe consequences" following Ireland's decision to officially recognise the state of Palestine.
Taoiseach Simon Harris made the historic announcement yesterday, alongside Spain and Norway, saying that it was "the right thing to do".
Immediately following the announcement, Israel recalled their ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, and are expected to impose further restrictions.
Erlich said that the recognition was "a prize for terrorism" and Foreign Minister Israel Katz has vowed to “not remain silent” on the issue, threatening “severe consequences” for Ireland, Norway, and Spain.
Katz also posted a video on social media of supposed Hamas attacks interspersed with scenes of Irish dancing with traditional Irish music playing over it.
The post read: "Ireland, if your goal was to reward terrorism by declaring support for a Palestinian state, you’ve achieved it."
After formal recognition of Palestine comes into effect, it is expected that a Palestinian embassy will be opened in Ireland.
There is currently a Palestinian “mission” office in Dublin, but it will be turned into a fully-fledged embassy and may move to a larger building to accommodate embassy staff.
The Irish “representative office” in Ramallah will also be upgraded to an embassy, with Feilim McLaughlin becoming ambassador.
Speaking to RTÉ about the decision, the Taoiseach said: "This humanitarian catastrophe needs to end. The only way you end conflict, ultimately, is through a political process.
“It has always been the position of Ireland that we recognise states and not governments.
"There is a state of Israel, there is a state of Palestine, and both have an equal right to live in peace and security.”
As well as Ireland, Spain and Norway, Slovenia is expected to announce that it too is recognising Palestine next month.
Sweden announced its formal recognition of Palestine in 2014, and has been used as an example of how Israel may react to other countries following suit.
After Sweden's move a decade ago, ramifications included an isolation of the country's ambassador, the severing of contact between the leaders of both countries and curtailment of political visits, including to Gaza.
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