Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday called for the "immediate" closure of his country's embassy in Ireland's capital Dublin after the Irish Seanad (Senate) voted to ban the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territory.

Lieberman made the comments after Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned Ireland's ambassador in Tel Aviv for reprimand shortly after the Irish Senate passed the motion on Wednesday.

"There is no point in summoning the Ambassador of Ireland for a reprimand, he wrote in a tweet on Thursday. Israel needs to immediately close the embassy in Ireland. We don't turn the other cheek to those who boycott us."

The legislation, known as the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018, will punish anyone who imports or assists in the importation or sale of Israeli goods or offers services to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967. It also penalizes all those who participate in or play a role in the exploitation of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories and their territorial waters.

The Palestinians welcomed the Irish decision and called on other EU member states to adopt similar legislation.

Source: International Islamic News Agency

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