Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Irish Ambassador Sonya McGuinness clashed publicly at a Foreign Ministry event over Dublin City Council's now-shelved proposal to rename a park honoring Chaim Herzog, Israel's sixth president and Irish native. McGuinness questioned the use of antisemitism accusations for political purposes, while Sa'ar accused Ireland of only responding to the controversy under external pressure and criticized what he described as a persistent 'virus of antisemitism.' The exchange highlighted tensions between the two governments, with Irish officials and Jewish leaders condemning the renaming proposal as divisive and antisemitic.

The Dublin City Council halted plans to rename the park after widespread criticism from Irish and Israeli officials, as well as the local Jewish community. The proposal, which followed activism by pro-Palestinian groups, was seen by many as an attempt to erase Irish-Jewish history. Chaim Herzog, born in Belfast and raised in Dublin, served as Israeli president and was the son of Ireland's first Chief Rabbi. The park's renaming campaign drew thousands of signatures but ultimately failed after intervention from Irish leaders and public outcry.