‘’The decision that the Council and the capital of Ireland took raises the white flag of surrender to terrorist organizations, hate and extortion, ‘’ said the Israeli foreign ministry in a reaction to the decision taken by the City Council of Dublin to fly the Palestinian flag until the end of this month to show ‘’solidarity with Palestinians living under occupation.’’

"Unfortunately, the balanced majority allowed a vocal minority that wants attention to use its power to promote a one-sided and biased agenda,’’ the ministry said.

The City Council approved the resolution to fly the flag over the City Hall building initiated by the extreme-left Socialist People Before Profit Alliance’s Councillor John Lyons. This party claims that Israel is ‘’an apartheid regime worst than South Africa’’.

42 Council members supported the measure while 11 opposed. The Councillors who voted against the resolution said only the Irish and European flags should fly above city hall.

The resolution states that the Palestinian flag will fly over the City Hall to coincide with the Palestinian “Nakba Day,” or “Day of Catastrophe,” which is meant to counter Israel’s Independence Day.

The move move was condemned by the local Jewish community and the Zionist group Irish4Israel, which said “it will have an extremely negative impact on Dublin’s international image and tourism.”

“It is quite staggering and almost admirable that these public figures spoke with such arrogant conviction, while having such little historical knowledge of the conflict and its complexities,” Irish4Israel added. “Most rattled off a few rehashed old buzzwords while remaining comfortable in their simplistic black and white world view.”

Israel’s ambassador in Dublin Ze’ev Boker said in a letter before the vote that flying the flag would be “highly politically charged” and demonstrate a one-sided approach by the Council to the conflict.

“Dublin has a long and proud tradition of welcoming new communities, and I know of many Israelis who have come to Dublin for work reasons and decided to stay,” he said.

“We must ask what kind of message such a gesture sends to these Israelis who are proud to now call Dublin their adopted home?

“I also know that some members of the Irish Jewish community are concerned by the negative message that the flying of the flag promotes.”

Boker said the embassy would be “delighted” to assist in an alternative initiative aimed at bringing Israelis and Palestinians together to “promote understanding between our peoples”.

‘’This decision besmirches the good name of the city and its citizens. This decision may ultimately cast a shadow over Ireland's ability to play a useful role in any future process in the Middle East. We expect the responsible political and media bodies to shake off this extreme and unbalanced position," the Israeli foreign ministry stated.

Ireland is with Sweden one of the most pro-Palestinian country in the EU.