Israel has closed down its embassy in Ireland in response to what it called “the extreme anti-Israel policy of the Irish government”.

It comes after Ireland officially recognised Palestinian statehood and backed South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ), accusing the Jewish state of “genocide” in Gaza.

It is the first time Israel has shut down a significant Western embassy.

Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s foreign minister, said: “The actions and anti-Semitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are based on delegitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state and double standards.

“Ireland crossed all the red lines in its relationship with Israel.”

Ireland’s prime ministers described the decision as “regrettable”.

The ICJ case was launched over the war in Gaza, which was sparked after the terror group Hamas killed more than 1,100 people and took 250 hostages during an invasion of Israel on Oct 7 last year.