Ambassador to Israel reprimanded in response to Ireland's recognition of Palestine

Ireland's ambassador in Israel, Sonya McGuinness File picture: Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Ireland's ambassador to Israel has been reprimanded by the country's foreign ministry and shown videos of Hamas hostage-taking in response to Ireland's recognition of Palestine.

Israel has recalled its ambassador to Ireland following the decision on Wednesday to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Israel called in the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway, and Spain, who met with Foreign Ministry director-general Yaakov Blitshtein. 

The Jerusalem Post reports the three were shown a short video released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum depicting the moment five of the remaining 132 hostages were taken captive last October.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that Sonya McGuinness had met with Israeli officials, but that no details of any specific retaliation by Israel had been made clear.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs can confirm that Ireland’s ambassador in Israel attended a meeting in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, alongside her Spanish and Norwegian colleagues. 

The meeting included a forthright exchange of views on the issue of recognition of the State of Palestine, but did not include detail of any specific measures to follow as a consequence.

The meeting followed the release of a 19-second video by the Israeli Foreign Ministry that spliced footage of Hamas fighters with Irish traditional music.

“Ireland, if your goal was to reward terrorism by declaring support for a Palestinian state, you’ve achieved it,” the Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said.

"@SimonHarrisTD, Hamas thanks you for your service.”

Speaking on CNN's Amanpour programme, Taoiseach Simon Harris said that this video would not distract from the real issues in Gaza.

Mr Harris said that there was "never the wrong time to do the right thing" and that he would not tolerate "any country misrepresenting the position of the Irish people". 

Mr Harris said that he does not wish to see Israel isolated, but said that the government of Israel should "listen" to other nations arguing for an immediate cessation of fighting in Gaza. 

Taoiseach Simon Harris speaking during a press conference outside Government buildings on Wednesday, as Ireland recognised the state of Palestine. 

He said that this position is the unanimous view of European nations and leaders.

The Government still expects more countries to join it in recognising Palestinian statehood, despite the Israeli reaction. 

Senior government sources said that countries which had been considering joining the Irish, Norwegian, and Spanish leaders in doing so would will have "factored in the Israeli reaction" and would not have been surprised to see the recall of Israeli ambassador Dana Erlich from Dublin.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces killed at least 38 Palestinians in aerial and ground bombardments across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and battled in close combat with Hamas-led militants in areas of the southern city of Rafah, health officials and Hamas media said.