Ireland–Palestine relations are the bilateral and historical relations between Ireland and the State of Palestine.[1] In 2000, Ireland established a representative office in Ramallah and Palestine has a representative office in Dublin.[2] Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean.
History
By the late 1960s, Ireland was increasingly concerned about the fate of Palestinian refugees who fled the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1969, Irish Foreign Minister Frank Aiken described the problem as the "main and most pressing objective" of Ireland's Middle East policy.[3] In 2024, Jane Ohlmeyer, a history professor at Trinity College Dublin, said: "There can be a tendency — and we see this, for example, in the street murals in Belfast — to see the conflict through the prism of Northern Ireland, where republican nationalists sympathize with Palestine and loyalists, unionists with Israel".[4]
In 1980, Ireland was the first European Union member state to endorse the establishment of a Palestinian state.[5]
In 1999 TaoiseachBertie Ahern went on a two-day trip to Gaza where he met with Yasser Arafat and visited the Jabaliya refugee camp. He became the first leader of a nation to fly from Palestine to their home country.[6] In September 2001 Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen travelled to Gaza and met with Arafat.[7]
In January 2011, Ireland accorded the Palestinian delegation in Dublin diplomatic status.[8] A few months later, their Foreign Affairs Minister stated that Ireland would "lead the charge" in recognizing Palestinian statehood, but that it would not come until the PNA was in full and sole control over its territories.[9] In October 2014, the Upper House of the Irish Parliament unanimously passed a motion calling on the Government to recognize the State of Palestine.[10] In December 2014, the Lower House of Ireland's Parliament followed suit.[11] However, the government said it would recognize Palestine only as part of a broader EU initiative.[12]
On 22 May 2024, amid increasing international criticism of Israel's actions in the Israel–Hamas war, the Irish Government announced that it recognised the state of Palestine, in a coordinated action with the governments of Norway and Spain. The move was criticised by Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz who announced the withdrawal of the Israeli Ambassador, Dana Erlich.[14]
With America being seen as a staunch ally of Israel in the Israel–Hamas war, the then Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, had acknowledged a "differences of opinions in relation [between the US and Ireland] to Israel and Gaza", particularly regarding the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.[15]
