During his speech on Sunday, President Higgins described revenge as a “lessening of the human spirit” before referencing the Middle East moments later.

Audiences members walked out and others turned their backs when the president raised the war in Gaza.

He said: “Those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of hostages, or the thousands searching for relatives in the rubble in Gaza will welcome the long-overdue ceasefire for which there has been such a heavy price paid.”

President Higgins quoted both the Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon and the Palestinian peace activist Aziz Abu Sarah who, he said, each carried a near-unbearable grief and were asking people to listen to each other.

Some of those who turned their backs were removed from the building by security.

In her statement, Dana Erlich expressed specific concern at this.

“It was shocking to observe that attendees from the Jewish and Israeli community in Ireland, who chose to express disagreement with the president’s comments in a dignified a non-disruptive manner where forcibly removed from the memorial event and refused entry for the remainder of the commemoration.”

She described it as an “ugly and regrettable scene” which has been viewed with “disbelief and disgust”.

Irish president accused of ‘politicising’ Holocaust event

1 day ago

BBC News NI

Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich has accused the Irish president of “politicising” a Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in Dublin on Sunday.

The event marked 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, and was held to remember victims of the Holocaust.

A number of people were removed and others left the event in Dublin’s Mansion House in protest as Michael D Higgins delivered his speech, which referenced the Israel-Gaza war.

Erlich said comments made by President Higgins had “predictably” admonished the state of Israel.

It follows comments from the Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, who said President Higgins had “resorted to a cheap, despicable provocation” during the event.

‘Ireland becoming a hostile place’

On Monday, Dana Erlich said that by referencing the war in Gaza in the manner that he did, at this particular event with no reference to any other conflict, the president “consciously chose to draw an analogy” between current events and World War Two.

She added: “The concerns of the Irish Jewish and Israeli communities about Ireland becoming a hostile place, a place where they are reluctant to express their Jewish identity and heritage, are not being addressed sufficiently”.

Erlich also accused President Higgins of ignoring “the obvious link between the Holocaust and the state of Israel and how our country became a refuge for survivors of the worst genocide in history”.’Ugly and regrettable scene’

During his speech on Sunday, President Higgins described revenge as a “lessening of the human spirit” before referencing the Middle East moments later.

Audiences members walked out and others turned their backs when the president raised the war in Gaza.

He said: “Those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of hostages, or the thousands searching for relatives in the rubble in Gaza will welcome the long-overdue ceasefire for which there has been such a heavy price paid.”

President Higgins quoted both the Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon and the Palestinian peace activist Aziz Abu Sarah who, he said, each carried a near-unbearable grief and were asking people to listen to each other.

Some of those who turned their backs were removed from the building by security.

In her statement, Dana Erlich expressed specific concern at this.

“It was shocking to observe that attendees from the Jewish and Israeli community in Ireland, who chose to express disagreement with the president’s comments in a dignified a non-disruptive manner where forcibly removed from the memorial event and refused entry for the remainder of the commemoration.”

‘Ugly and regrettable scene’

During his speech on Sunday, President Higgins described revenge as a “lessening of the human spirit” before referencing the Middle East moments later.

Audiences members walked out and others turned their backs when the president raised the war in Gaza.

He said: “Those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of hostages, or the thousands searching for relatives in the rubble in Gaza will welcome the long-overdue ceasefire for which there has been such a heavy price paid.”

President Higgins quoted both the Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon and the Palestinian peace activist Aziz Abu Sarah who, he said, each carried a near-unbearable grief and were asking people to listen to each other.

Some of those who turned their backs were removed from the building by security.

In her statement, Dana Erlich expressed specific concern at this.

“It was shocking to observe that attendees from the Jewish and Israeli community in Ireland, who chose to express disagreement with the president’s comments in a dignified a non-disruptive manner where forcibly removed from the memorial event and refused entry for the remainder of the commemoration.”

She described it as an “ugly and regrettable scene” which has been viewed with “disbelief and disgust”.