Ireland officially recognized the State of Palestine on May 28, 2024 — alongside Spain and Norway, well before France and the United Kingdom. "There is never a wrong time to do the right thing", declared Taoiseach Simon Harris. This recognition did not come out of nowhere. It is the culmination of Irish solidarity with Palestine dating back to the 1970s, nurtured by a shared experience of British colonialism, occupation, resistance and repression. Ireland is, according to many observers, the European country most deeply in solidarity with Palestine — not out of diplomatic calculation, but out of collective memory.
For all the countries that support Palestine, see our article on which countries support Palestine. And to understand the history of the conflict, read our file on the Nakba: history, meaning and memory of a people.
Why does Ireland feel so close to Palestine?
The answer lies in a single phrase spoken by Cerian Perry, Dublin city councillor, quoted in Le Monde: "We too have known oppression and famine." The Irish-Palestinian parallel is not a political metaphor invented after October 2023 — it was built over decades of shared history, concrete solidarity and common consciousness.
The similarities are striking. Ireland lived under British occupation for centuries. Palestine has lived under Israeli occupation since 1967 — and experienced the British Mandate from 1920 to 1948. Both peoples endured internment without trial: in Northern Ireland, the 1971 internment law allowed Irish nationalists to be imprisoned indefinitely without charge or trial; in Palestine, Israel still uses administrative detention today — a law inherited precisely from the British Mandate of 1936. Both experienced settler colonialism — that is, the installation of foreign populations on the lands of indigenous inhabitants to alter demographics and erase the rights of native peoples.
The link goes even further. In 1920, Sir Ronald Storrs, British military governor of Jerusalem, openly admired colonial policies in Northern Ireland, envisioning Israel as "a loyal Jewish Ulster in a sea of Arab hostility". The same British paramilitary units — the infamous Black and Tans, veterans recruited to suppress the IRA in Ireland — were deployed in Palestine in 1920. The same hand, the same methods, two peoples as victims.
The Irish Great Famine of 1845-1852 — which killed one million Irish people and forced another million into exile while Great Britain continued to export foodstuffs out of Ireland — resonates painfully in Irish memory when faced with images of organized famine in Gaza. "We have a visceral understanding of what it means to be intentionally starved by an occupying power", explains an Irish elected representative quoted by Frustration Magazine.
What is the history of Irish-Palestinian solidarity since the 1970s?
Solidarity between Irish republicans and Palestinian activists has been documented since the 1960s-1970s. The two movements recognized each other as brothers in the struggle against British colonialism. IRA (Irish Republican Army) members visited Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, where the PLO was based until 1982, to express their solidarity. Arms are said to have transited between the two movements — in 1977, Irish authorities seized at Dublin port a shipment coming from Cyprus, allegedly destined for the IRA and coming from the PLO.
The most symbolic episode is that of Bobby Sands. In 1981, ten Irish republicans died during a hunger strike in Maze prison (Long Kesh) in Northern Ireland — they were demanding prisoner of war status that Margaret Thatcher denied them. Bobby Sands, the first to die, had been elected Member of Parliament to the British Parliament during his hunger strike. He had written The Lark and the Freedom Fighter, an essay of solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. The Irish hunger strikers received a letter of support from Palestinian hunger strikers imprisoned at Nafha prison — 120 km from Jerusalem — explicitly stating that "the struggle against British imperialism is the same as the struggle against Zionist colonialism." The banner carried by Palestinian women at the time summed it all up: "Nafha, H-Block, Armagh, One Struggle" — one struggle, one enemy.
This solidarity continues to the present day. In 2023, at Celtic Park stadium in Glasgow — the Scottish club founded by the Irish diaspora — supporters raised an enormous pro-Palestinian banner during a Champions League match, defying a UEFA ban. The colors of Celtic Football Club (green and white) are those of the Republic of Ireland; the banner bears the colors of the Palestinian flag. An image that went around the world.
How did Ireland recognize Palestine in 2024?
On May 22, 2024, the three leaders of the Irish government — Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Environment Minister Eamon Ryan — held a historic press conference in front of the Government Buildings in Dublin. The decision was made in coordination with Spain and Norway. "The decision taken today represents our conviction that a political path is the only way to break the cycle of dispossession, subjugation, dehumanization, terrorism and death that has blighted the lives of Israelis and Palestinians for decades", declared Micheál Martin.
Israel's reaction was immediate and violent. Tel Aviv recalled its ambassador to Dublin. Netanyahu accused Ireland of "encouraging terrorism". Ireland maintained its position. Harris responded: "Some have criticized our decision to recognize Palestine, but I remain true to the words I spoke on that day in May — there is never a wrong time to do the right thing."
In December 2024, Palestinian Ambassador Jilan Abdalmajid officially presented her credentials to Irish President Michael D. Higgins — thus formalizing bilateral diplomatic relations. Ireland was then one of the few EU countries to have taken this step, alongside Spain, Slovenia and several Central and Eastern European countries.
Did Ireland bring a complaint against Israel before the ICJ?
Yes — and it is one of the strongest diplomatic actions taken by a European country on the Palestinian question. In January 2025, Ireland joined South Africa in proceedings before the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. This is an extraordinary step: a European country and EU and NATO member that co-signs a genocide complaint against a US ally. Ireland invokes its longstanding commitment "to defend and promote a strict interpretation of the genocide convention, to ensure the highest possible level of protection for civilians", as Micheál Martin had put it.
This legal action is directly linked to the Irish tradition of participation in UN peacekeeping missions. Ireland is one of the most regular contributors to UN "Blue Helmets" since the 1960s. Irish soldiers have served in Lebanon with UNIFIL since 1978 — and were attacked by Israeli forces in October 2024 during the Israeli offensive on Lebanon, sparking strong indignation in Dublin. Ireland demanded explanations from Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.
What is the pro-Palestinian mobilization in Ireland?
Irish civil society is one of the most mobilized in Europe for Palestine — and in a structural way, not only since October 2023. The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), founded in 2001, coordinates a national network of organizations. Unions such as the ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions) have voted for the boycott of products from Israeli settlements. Universities such as University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin have adopted divestment resolutions.
Since October 2023, demonstrations in Dublin have been among the largest in Europe in proportion to population — Ireland has 5 million people. Tens of thousands of people have marched on multiple occasions. The Irish Parliament (Dáil) has voted on several motions condemning Israeli actions in Gaza. The mobilization of Irish civil society played a central role, culminating in the official recognition of the Palestinian state in May 2024 and the country's legal action against Israel before the ICJ, according to the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).
Irish humanitarian aid to Palestine is also significant. After October 7, 2023, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin announced before the Irish Parliament an emergency package of €13 million, in addition to the €16 million annual commitment already made for Palestinians. Ireland maintained its contributions to UNRWA even when other countries were suspending them.
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Sources
— Euronews, Ireland officially recognizes the State of Palestine, May 2024.
— Anadolu Agency, Ireland reiterates its solidarity and unwavering support for the Palestinian people, December 2024.
— IFRI, The Republic of Ireland and the Palestinian question, January 2026.
— Orient XXI, Northern Ireland and Palestine, united by colonization, January 2025.
— Cairn.info / International Journal of Comparative Politics, Settler colonialism and transnational solidarity: Irish republicanism and the Palestinian cause, 2024.
— Bobby Sands Trust / Al Jazeera, Palestinian-Irish solidarity, 2021.
Your frequently asked questions about Ireland and Palestine
When did Ireland recognize the State of Palestine?
Ireland officially recognized the State of Palestine on May 28, 2024, in coordination with Spain and Norway. It was Taoiseach Simon Harris who made the announcement from Dublin, declaring: "There is never a wrong time to do the right thing." Ireland was one of the first countries of the European Union to take this step — well before France and the United Kingdom.
Why do the Irish so strongly support Palestine?
Irish-Palestinian solidarity is rooted in a common history: British colonialism, occupation, internment without trial, armed resistance. The same British paramilitary units (the Black and Tans) repressed both Irish nationalists and Palestinians. Bobby Sands and the Irish political prisoners exchanged letters of support with Palestinian hunger strikers in 1981. The Irish recognize in the organized famine in Gaza the echo of their own Great Famine of 1845-1852.
Did Ireland bring a complaint against Israel to the ICJ?
Yes. In January 2025, Ireland joined South Africa in proceedings before the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. This is an exceptional step for a country that is a member of the EU and NATO, which testifies to the depth of Ireland's commitment to international law and the protection of Palestinian civilians.
What is Irish humanitarian aid to Palestine?
After October 7, 2023, Ireland announced an emergency package of €13 million, in addition to its €16 million annual aid to Palestinians. Ireland maintained its contributions to UNRWA even when several European countries were suspending them under American and Israeli pressure.
Does Boutique Palestine deliver to Ireland?
Yes, Boutique Palestine delivers to Ireland with free shipping, in 5 to 8 business days. All our Palestinian products are available for Irish customers.