Israel has sharply criticised a proposal before the Dublin City Council to remove the name of Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth president, from a local park and rename it “Free Palestine.”
The Israeli presidency described the move as an assault on Herzog’s legacy and a setback to historical ties between the Irish and Jewish peoples.
In a statement, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said his office was following developments in Ireland with concern, adding that the planned renaming would undermine a symbol of long-standing relations.
“We are following with concern the reports from Ireland regarding the intention to harm the legacy of the sixth President of the State of Israel, the late Chaim Herzog, as well as harming the unique expression of the historical connection between the Irish and Jewish peoples,” the statement said.
Chaim Herzog, who served as Israel’s president from 1983 to 1993, was born in Belfast and raised in Dublin before emigrating to Palestine.
He later became a senior military officer, a diplomat and a prominent political figure.
President Isaac Herzog emphasised that his father was not only a leader in Israel but also a hero of the campaign to liberate Europe from the Nazis who championed freedom, tolerance, the pursuit of peace, and the fight against antisemitism.
The statement also highlighted the family’s deep ties to Ireland.
Herzog’s father, Rabbi Isaac HaLevi Herzog, served as the first Chief Rabbi of the Irish Free State and played what the president described as a significant role in Irish national life.
The decision three decades ago to name the Dublin park after Chaim Herzog was seen by both countries as a recognition of that shared history.
“Unfortunately, this relationship has deteriorated in recent years, yet we still hope for the recovery of these important ties,” President Herzog noted.
He condemned the proposed removal of the name as a shameful and disgraceful move, urging Irish authorities to preserve the park’s original dedication.
“We hope that the legacy of a figure at the forefront of establishing the relations between Israel and Ireland, and the fight against antisemitism and tyranny, will still get the respect it deserves today,” he said.
The Dublin City Council is expected to continue deliberations on the proposal, which has already sparked diplomatic friction and public debate over Ireland’s stance on the Israel–Palestine conflict.
Some senior Irish government officials have opposed the move.
“The Government has been openly critical of the policies and actions of the government of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, and rightly so.
“Renaming a Dublin park in this way - to remove the name of an Irish Jewish man - has nothing to do with this and has no place in our inclusive republic. In my view this name change should not proceed and I urge Dublin City Councillors to vote against it,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee.
