Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin has waded into a growing row between Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson and Israel's football federation, describing the federation's response to the coach as "unacceptable."
Speaking to reporters in New York, where he is attending the UN General Assembly, Martin said: "I think those are unacceptable remarks. They should be withdrawn. Israel can't keep denying what the world knows, and what the world understands."
The dispute began after Hallgrimsson said ahead of Ireland's upcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel: "We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel."
The Israel Football Association hit back on Monday, accusing the Icelandic coach of "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy." Its statement read: "We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by Ireland's national team coach. We're not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we're playing against the coach who embodies them."
Martin said Hallgrimsson's comments reflected wider concern over the scale of death and destruction in Gaza, pointing also to remarks from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Fixtures Under Pressure
The row comes amid mounting controversy in Ireland over the two Nations League matches against Israel, scheduled for September 27 and October 4. More than 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter calling for the national team to boycott the games, and protesters gathered outside the team's Dublin hotel on Monday, with further demonstrations planned around the country before kick-off.
The Football Association of Ireland passed a motion last November asking UEFA to suspend Israel from international competition, but the request found no support among European football's governing body. The FAI has said it has little choice but to fulfil the fixtures or risk sporting and financial sanctions.
Both matches have been shifted away from their original hosts over security concerns. Ireland's home fixture on October 4 has been moved from the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to Backa Topola in Serbia, while the September 27 game, officially Israel's home tie, will be played at a neutral venue in Debrecen, Hungary.
Israel strongly rejects allegations that its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide. It launched its war against Hamas following the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, and says it seeks to avoid civilian casualties while fighting a group it says embeds itself among the civilian population.
Ireland has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, a stance often linked to the country's own history of British rule. Dublin formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 alongside Spain and Norway, and has repeatedly criticised Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza.
