The Israeli Embassy in Dublin has removed controversial images from its official Twitter feed, including one of the statue of Molly Malone wearing a Muslim headscarf.

The four photos featured well-known statues and artwork associated with different European countries. Weaponry and traditional Muslim headscarves were superimposed on the images. The pictures were posted last Friday but were removed after online backlash.

In a photo entitled "Israel now Dublin next", Dublin's famous Molly Malone statue is covered in a traditional Muslim niquab, a long black headscarf.

A picture addressed to Paris features the Mona Lisa covered in a hijab and holding a large rocket. In an image called "Israel now Italy next", Michaelangelo's David wears a skirt fashioned out of explosives.

The fourth photo depicts Denmark's statue of the Little Mermaid holding an enormous gun with the words "Israel now Denmark next".

All four photos contain the caption “Israel is the last frontier of the free world”.

The pictures instantly rankled some Twitter users. One of them said: “This bigotry and racism against Arabs and Muslims from a verified diplomatic account is reprehensible.” The pictures were removed over the weekend.

The photos are part of the embassy's controversial social media campaign that includes last week's Tweet of a Palestinian flag superimposed with a picture of Adolf Hitler and the words "Free Palestine now!"

Israeli ambassador Boaz Modai told the London Daily Telegraph over the weekend that he could not comment because "we are now in the middle of a war and I have other things to deal with".

The Israeli Embassy in Dublin declined to comment when contacted by The Irish Times.