Government ministers voiced strong objections to the proposal for the establishment of an Israeli embassy in Dublin in 1992, newly released State papers have revealed.
Then minister for foreign affairs David Andrews had argued that it was time to allow Israel to open an embassy as Ireland was the largest country in western Europe not to have one.
Mr Andrews said Ireland’s position on the issue had become “increasingly anomalous” as even eastern European countries which had cut ties with Israel had re-established relations.
However, minister for finance Bertie Ahern said the security implications of this proposal “would cost some £700,000 annually”. He said that it would also require 16 gardaí for security and said that must be a big consideration in the government’s decision-making process.
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He said he had to oppose the proposed opening of an embassy because of the “very serious emerging position on public expenditure for 1993″.
Mr Ahern said it would also inevitably lead to pressure for the opening of an Irish mission in Israel with associated costs.
The Department of Foreign Affairs subsequently informed Mr Ahern that there was no proposal at the time to establish an embassy in Tel Aviv and said his reasoning was not “valid”.
Minister for industry and commerce Des O’Malley observed that the proposal about the opening of an Israeli embassy had first been made in 1990 when he had indicated his strong belief that there were “compelling arguments” for not allowing it.
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Mr O’Malley said he still held the same view two years later and said there was a likelihood of significant losses of trade with Arab countries.
Overall, he said he believed the prospect of losing markets in Arab countries and Iran was real if an Israeli embassy was opened in Ireland.
Tánaiste and minister for defence John Wilson said Irish troops on UN peacekeeping duties in south Lebanon were continuing to be subjected at the time to harassment by Israeli-based militia, citing the fatal shooting of Cpl Michael McCarthy earlier that year.
Mr Wilson recommended that a cessation of militia attacks on the UN mission should be a precondition for any decision to permit the opening of an embassy.
The government finally agreed to the opening of an Israeli embassy in Ireland in December 1993, and on the same day invited the Palestine Liberation Organisation to open an office in Dublin.
