The Irish ambassador to Israel was summoned by the country's Foreign Ministry today to protest the actions of Dublin's Lord Mayor.
Authorities there say Mícheál Mac Donncha was attending a conference in Palestine that glorified a war criminal.
The Lord Mayor Mícheál Mac Donncha is in Ramallah in Palestine attending a conference.
Earlier Israeli authorities claimed the conference was glorifying the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem who met Hitler, pointing out it was on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Ireland's Ambassador to Israel Alison Kelly was then called before the Foreign Ministry to explain the Lord Mayor's actions.
The Ministry said the conference being attended was anti-Israel.
Ireland's Ambassador to the State of Israel, Alison Kelly | Image: Department of Foreign Affairs
They also noted two recent votes of Dublin City Council to expel the Israeli ambassador and to support a boycott of the country.
Sources described the meeting between our ambassador and Israeli officials was 'frosty' - with the Foreign Ministry looking for a statement of support from the government here.
The Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, through the Irish embassy in Israel, following the meeting that Ambassador Kelly was 'surprised' the Dublin Lord Mayor was "singled out" by authorites.
Statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: pic.twitter.com/xioj1oPkOG
— Irish Embassy Israel (@EmbassyTLV) April 12, 2018
Lord Mayor Mícheál Mac Donncha also hit out saying it was disgraceful that some people had been stopped from entering the country to attend the conference in Palestine by Israeli officials.
Additional reporting: Jack Quann
