The Israeli Ambassador to Ireland has not been invited to speak at this year’s Holocaust Memorial event in Dublin for the first time in 10-years.

Ambassador Dana Erlich told The Pat Kenny Show on Monday that she would be questioning the organisers of the event over this decision.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Chair of the Jewish Representative Council Maurice Cohen said that he does not believe this is connected to the closure of Israel’s embassy in Dublin.

“There still is an Ambassador and there’s a Deputy Ambassador and the Ambassador, I understand, was quite willing to do a video speech anyway,” he said

“But it is important to note that the Ambassador has for the last 10 years spoken at the event.

“The reason I say 10 years, even though Holocaust Memorial Day has been going longer in Ireland, is that there was a furore 10-years ago because the Ambassador was not invited to speak.

“The Israeli Ambassador [at the time] thought that this was absolutely untenable; there are plenty of Israeli-born people here in Ireland, they’ve taken out Irish citizenships, they’re working here, they’re now Irish and they want the Ambassador to be available.”

Mr Cohen said that at the time, the disagreement was resolved when a written agreement was signed between the event organisers - Holocaust Education Ireland (HEI) - and the Israeli embassy, which stated that the Ambassador would be invited to speak at every following event.

Israeli Ambassador Dana Erlich. 16/01/2024. Image: Newstalk.

According to Mr Cohen, HEI have not given an explanation for their decision to renege on this agreement.

“I spent half an hour with the chairman of Holocaust Education Ireland and I was in communication with the director who runs this event,” he said.

“I was given absolutely no explanation whatsoever, never mind it being satisfactory or not.”

Attendees of the the Irish annual Holocaust Memorial day Featuring: Atmosphere Where: Dublin, Ireland When: 27 Jan 2019 Credit: Brightspark Photos/WENN.com

Mr Cohen said that his reaction and the reaction of the Jewish community's to this decision had been one of total dismay.

“I’m absolutely horrified,” he said.

“I can tell you that I pleaded and begged the people I was in contact with to just ask the Ambassador to speak for three or four minutes, or one of our nominees.”

Mr Cohen said that he had not received an answer from HEI on this front.

Holocaust Education Ireland response

Holocaust Education Ireland said in a statement that all Ambssadors were invited to attend.

"Israel recalled its Ambassador to Ireland on 22 May 2024," a spokesperson said.

"On 3 December 2024 HEI sent letters of invitation to all Ambassadors, inviting them to attend the national Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration.

"On 15 December 2024, Israel announced it was closing its embassy in Dublin."

Main image: Israel's Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich at the Israeli Embassy in Dublin, 07-11-2023. Image: PA Images / Alamy