Europe’s Most Pro-Palestinian State? Irish Policy Towards Palestine Since October 2023

by Matthew O'Regan, Junior Reporter, BA Global Liberal Arts 03/02/2025

Ireland often appears in international reports on Palestine. Pro-Palestinian policies are incredibly popular among the Irish public, where 71% of people believe Israel is an apartheid state, 62% endorse sanctions on Israel, and 61% believe in restricting Ireland-Israel trade, research from Ireland Thinks shows. Ireland’s republican and socialist political movements have long shared a deep-rooted affinity with the Palestinian struggle. 

In September 2023, Táinaiste Micheál Martin met Netanyahu on a diplomatic tour to Israel, endorsing a peace process towards a two-state solution. In parliamentary discussions in October 2023, Martin condemned the Hamas-led attack and announced that the Irish government would pledge €10 million to UNRWA and €3 million to the UNOCHA Palestine humanitarian fund. Ireland, Spain and Luxembourg opposed the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi's decision to freeze €691 million of development aid to Palestine.

On 11 March 2024, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met Joe Biden, reiterating Irish support for a two-state solution. The Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), the largest pro-Palestine group in Ireland, spearheaded a campaign to boycott the meeting.

Ireland, Spain, and Norway jointly recognised the Palestinian Authority in May 2024. Israeli ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich stated this “sends a dangerous signal to Hamas and its supporters.” Cyprus, the Czech Republic, and Hungary recognised Palestine before joining the EU. Cyprus was the first to recognise Palestine as an EU member in 2014, and Slovenia recognised Palestine by referendum in June 2024. 

On 8 October, Taoiseach Varadkar’s replacement, Simon Harris, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Israel’s bombing of Irish peacekeepers serving the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). No Irish soldiers were killed or wounded in this incident. Since Ireland co-founded UNIFIL in 1978, eight Irish Defence Forces soldiers have been killed by Israel and Israel-backed militias in Lebanon. On 9 October, Taoiseach Harris met with U.S. President Joe Biden, emphasising his concerns over Israel's targeting of UNIFIL and advocating for an immediate ceasefire, a two-state solution, and the urgent need for humanitarian aid.

Táinaiste Martin endorsed the ICC in its investigations of Israel and noted Ireland’s €3 million of voluntary contributions to the court in November 2024. One month later, Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar announced Israel would close their Dublin embassy, stating Ireland had crossed “every red line” and had used “anti-Semitic rhetoric”. Martin stated that the closure was “deeply regrettable” and that Ireland’s position was “guided by the principles of international law”. On 7 January 2025, Ireland joined South Africa's proceedings against Israel in the International Court of Justice, contending that Israel was guilty of acts of genocide against the Palestinian people. 

The Occupied Territories Bill, which aims to limit trade with Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements, has been debated in the Irish parliament since 2018. On 19 December, Taoiseach Harris expressed his hope that the bill would be passed in 2025.

During her visit to SOAS in November 2024, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese recommended that Ireland should match their policies to their rhetoric, increase humanitarian aid, and emphasised continuing pro-Palestine activism in Ireland. 

At the UCL Majlis “Pity the Nation” event on 6 December, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot quoted Irish Republican Bobby Sands, saying, “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children” and stated that Ireland was doing the “right amount” to support the Palestinian cause on the international stage.