President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins has accused the Israeli Embassy in Dublin of circulating a letter he wrote to Iran's newly appointed president, sparking a diplomatic row. The Israeli Embassy has strongly denied the allegation, calling it "baseless" and "highly inflammatory."
The controversy began last month when Higgins' letter to Masoud Pezeshkian, following his appointment as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, became public. Speaking at the United Nations (UN) in New York on Sunday, Higgins suggested that Israeli officials were behind the letter's circulation.
"You should ask where the criticism came from and how the letter was circulated and by whom and for what purpose," Higgins told journalists. When pressed further, he stated, "I believe it was circulated from the Israeli Embassy" in Dublin.
Higgins defended his letter, explaining that it was customary to congratulate a new head of state and that there had been interest in restarting nuclear talks with Iran. In the letter, Higgins told Pezeshkian that Iran had a "crucial role" in peace in the Middle East following the death of his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, in a helicopter crash in May.
The letter, which appeared in the Jewish Chronicle, prompted criticism in both the UK and Ireland. It read in part, "I regret of course the circumstances that brought about the election, and take the opportunity to repeat the condolences of the people of Ireland for the deaths of your predecessor President Raisi."
The Israeli Embassy in Dublin swiftly responded to Higgins' accusation, stating, "This baseless accusation is highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous, and the embassy rejects it completely." The embassy's statement added that it is the "burden of the author to defend its content, which did not mention the threat Iran poses in the region."
The embassy also referenced the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage, with 101 still being held in Gaza.
Simon Harris, the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) also present at the UN in New York, defended the Irish president. Harris stated that his primary concern was the loss of life in Gaza, asserting that Israel "is continuing to allow a horrific humanitarian situation continue."
Harris further commented, "I think the Israeli embassy should be focusing on things other than amplifying, circulating or referencing a letter that does really conform with normal diplomatic protocol between heads of state."
"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 continue," Harris added.
However, screenshots proved that it was the Iranian Embassy itself who circulated the letter. Ireland is known for its critical stance towards Israel, yet among the widespread support the president received for his accusations against Israel, which were later proven false, one media report particularly stood out.
One of the journalists covering the affair was Gavan Reilly, the political correspondent for Virgin Media News. In one of his reports on the incident, Reilly chose to say that "the global Jewish lobby and organizations sympathetic to Israel" attacked the president for publishing a congratulatory letter to the incoming leader of the Islamic Republic.
The use of conspiratorial terms like "global Jewish lobby" caused great anger in the Jewish and Israeli community in Dublin. "The report not only reeked of antisemitism and the oldest conspiracies in the world against Jews, it also showed us again that in Ireland of 2024, antisemitism is not only tolerated but welcomed with open arms on live broadcast," said a source in the Irish Jewish community. "We've reached a point where statements like 'global Jewish lobby' are made without any shame. It's often said that Ireland is the most critical country towards Israel and that this leads to antisemitism, but we're no longer sure if antisemitism is simply there and is what's leading Ireland to be the most critical country in Europe towards Israel."
Rabbi Yoni Wieder, chief rabbi of Ireland, expressed great disappointment with the conduct of the country's leaders and local media in the affair. "The baseless accusations against the Israeli Embassy and the support from politicians and media figures in the country, who barely bothered to check the claim which is factually incorrect, reveal a disappointing and worrying trend. However, in light of what we've been experiencing and seeing here in recent months, unfortunately, it's no longer surprising."
