Irish President Michael Higgins. (Shutterstock)
Irish president accuses Israeli embassy of intercepting his letter to his Iranian counterpart and circulating to the media, sparking latest diplomatic row between Jerusalem and Dublin.
By World Israel News Staff
Ireland’s president has accused the Israeli embassy in Dublin of intercepting a congratulatory letter he penned to his newly-elected Iranian counterpart, using the document to embarrass him.
Irish President Michael Higgins penned several months ago what he dubbed a “courtesy letter” to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, congratulating him on his July electoral victory.
Last month, the letter began circulating online, revealing the details of Higgins’ missive to Pezeshkian.
During a speech this week at the United Nations Future Summit, Higgins blasted the Israeli Embassy in Ireland, accusing the Israeli mission to Dublin of intercepting the letter and circulating it publicly to embarrass Higgins.
Higgins noted that at the time of the letter’s first appearance online, it was criticized by the Israeli embassy, which said that it sent “the wrong message to the Iranian people who live in fear under this brutal regime,” though he acknowledged that he did not know how the Israeli mission might have obtained the letter.
The Irish president also pointed to the absence of Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich from the country as being suggestive of Israel’s role, saying it prevented his government from summoning her in response to Israel’s alleged role in the leak.
On Monday, however, the Israeli Embassy in Ireland pushed back on Higgins’ claims, calling them “baseless” and “highly inflammatory.”
“Unfortunately, in Ireland, since the October 7 invasion by Hamas and massacre in Israel, which triggered this awful war, Israel has been subjected to a high level of malicious statements and accusations that have often manifested as incitement to hatred.”
“This baseless accusation is highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous and the embassy rejects it completely.”
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