Irish PM Micheál Martin rejects antisemitism claims over Israel stance

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin rejected claims that Ireland's sharp criticism of Israel has crossed into antisemitism as tensions flared around a politically charged soccer match between the countries Sunday, with Irish players holding a last-minute vote over whether to boycott the game. Martin, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital this week in New York, outlined why Ireland has taken such a staunch position against the Israeli government's conduct of the war in Gaza, calling its military response "absolutely disproportionate" while pressing Israel to "change strategy" and calling for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. Martin argued that Ireland's own history — particularly its experience ending decades of conflict in Northern Ireland — gives the country a role to play as a voice for peace on the international stage, a theme he returned to while discussing Ukraine and the ongoing debate over Irish reunification.