Israel’s ambassador to Ireland who was appointed little more than a year ago says she is disappointed at having to return home following the Netanyahu Government’s decision to close the diplomatic post but hopes to return soon.

The Israeli Government announced at the weekend it was withdrawing its ambassador and closing its embassy in Dublin because of what it described as “the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government” and the “anti-Semitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel” in the wake of the war in Gaza. (below)

Dana Erlich, Israel’s ambassador to Ireland since August 2023 who will fly out of the country today, said despite the diplomatic tensions between the two nations her tenure had otherwise been “very, very enjoyable”.

“I’ve loved being posted to Ireland and I’ve loved every aspect of life in Ireland,” Ms Erlich said.

“I have been so enamoured of Ireland that I had applied for and had been approved to change my name by deed poll to something more Irish sounding while still reflecting my Israeli heritage.

“I do hope that the suspension of diplomatic relations is not permanent and that I can return to my post in Dublin and continue work under my new name of Jen O’Cide,” she said.

When contacted by The Bug, a spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said questions about when the Dublin embassy might reopen were anti-Semitic as was our reporter’s query: “What’s the weather like in Tel Aviv today?”

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