The American Jewish Committee (AJC) on Monday welcomed the move by the Dublin City Council to withdraw a proposal to rename Herzog Park, which honors Chaim Herzog, the sixth president of Israel.
“We urge the Council to make permanent its decision to retain the Herzog Park name and call on leaders across Ireland to embrace a more complex and pluralistic national story,” AJC said in a statement.
“Initial support by most Council members to replace his name with something like ‘Free Palestine Park’ reflected a troubling willingness to target Jewish history as a proxy for Middle East politics. Naming a park after Herzog was never about political posturing. It was a deserved honor for an Irish-born leader, who carried Ireland’s values onto the world stage,” it added.
“Sympathizing with the plight of Palestinians and recognizing Irish Jewish heritage are not mutually exclusive. The Council can champion both without erasing Jewish history,” the statement continued.
“AJC immediately mobilized upon learning of the proposed renaming, strongly opposing the plan and advocating for the preservation of Jewish heritage. AJC has long stood with Ireland’s small but proud Jewish community, which has faced a surge in antisemitism since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.”
“We have met with Irish government leaders, including Prime Minister Micheál Martin, to foster a constructive dialogue with Ireland’s Jews and to address the country’s strong animus toward Israel,” concluded AJC.
President Isaac Herzog, the son of Chaim Herzog, condemned the decision to drop his father’s name from the park on the weekend, and said that it would harm “the unique expression of the historical connection between the Irish and Jewish peoples."
The decision was also condemned by Ireland's Foreign Minister, Helen McEntee, who wrote, "Herzog Park is named for Chaim Herzog who was born in Belfast and grew up in Dublin. He went on to be President of Israel and his son currently holds that office. His father was Chief Rabbi of Ireland for many years. He is an important figure for many people, particularly for members of Ireland’s Jewish community. I think we should be clear about this."
"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," McEntee noted. Still, she insisted the move was misplaced. "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."
The saga came amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Ireland. In April of 2024, then-Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris failed to mention the hostages being held by Hamas during his first speech after being elected leader, resulting in criticism from Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
Later, Harris criticized Israel's strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, accusing Israel of a “pattern of flouting international law and disregard for rules of engagement”.
A month later, Ireland joined Spain, Norway, and subsequently Slovenia in officially recognizing a Palestinian state.
In December of 2024, Israel shuttered its embassy in Dublin amid escalating tensions, citing Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state and its vocal condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
More recently, Ireland elected far-left President Catherine Connolly, inaugurated on November 11, who has labeled Israel a “terrorist state.”