Taoiseach accuses Israel of deliberately undermining Ireland's stance on Gaza

It came as Mr Martin spoke with Jewish leaders in the US on Friday afternoon. The Taoiseach's side described the meeting as "very positive" and said a "number of actions" had been agreed.

However, after he met Mr Martin, the American Jewish Committee's (AJC) Rabbi Andrew Baker said: "Antisemitism is pervasive in Ireland, posing serious risks for its 3,000 Jews, many of whom hold Israeli citizenship. Alongside physical harassment and attacks, widespread anti-Israel sentiment—including in parts of the government—affects daily life. Jewish school children face bullying, university students encounter hostility, and workplaces are increasingly unwelcoming."

He said the Taoiseach has accused Israel of committing war crimes, pursuing “collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” as well as using “starvation as a weapon of war".

"These actions and statements are contributing to antisemitism facing Ireland’s Jews and separating Ireland from nearly all of its European neighbours.

"It has taken Ireland years to just pay lip service to combating antisemitism and that is clearly not sufficient,” said Mr Baker. “AJC made clear to the Prime Minister (Taoiseach) that his own words and actions, which are so antagonistic toward Israel, have real consequences for the sense of safety, security, and acceptance of Ireland’s Jewish community and we urged him to change course.”

He also claimed Mr Martin said the Occupied Territories Bill as drafted "is probably unconstitutional and unenforceable". 

"While not dispensing with it outright, he said it was no longer on the legislative calendar," he said.

Speaking ahead of the engagement Mr Martin said: "It's just absurd that you would label someone antisemitic for being in favour of the principles of the UN in respect of their application to the Middle East. 

There's an element of deliberate undermining of Ireland's position and a distortion of Ireland's position in respect of this.

Mr Martin pointed to the fact that he had travelled to Israel following the October 7 Hamas attack and has consistently called for a ceasefire.

"We have consistently condemned Hamas. I've called for the unconditional release of hostages from the very beginning.

"The Irish position is fundamentally a humanitarian one, which is consistent with how we responded to Ethiopia; consistent with how we responded to Syria; consistent with how we have always responded to Lebanon. So there's a consistency of approach in the Irish position, and to label it as antisemitic is wrong, false, and a deliberate distortion of the truth," he said.

Separately, the Taoiseach criticised the Burke family for protesting at an event in Washington, stating they didn't go about it in "the proper way".

Asked about the incident, which resulted in three members of the family being ejected from the Ireland Funds dinner by police as they loudly shouted at the Taoiseach, Mr Martin said: "First of all, I think it didn't significantly, in any way, disrupt the event.

"I think it was regrettable that that incident happened.

"People have a right to protest in a proper way, and that is not a proper way to attempt to maybe disrupt an event that was to honour people who have been of such service to Ireland in the US, and people of the Irish American diaspora who really are not involved in anything to do with this issue. And it was a night of celebration and recognition for those honorees. 

"But, that said, I don't think it had that impact, but we live in a democracy."

He added that NFL coach Dan Quinn, who had been on stage at the time "handled it in his stride".

When asked about how the Burkes may have gained access to the black-tie event, Mr Martin said he did not have any concerns about security.

"The security details and arrangements have been balanced, firm, strong, and I've witnessed that myself, so I couldn't fault that," he told reporters in Washington.