Expelling the Israeli ambassador will have severe consequences on Irish people and Defense Forces personnel in the Middle East. That's the argument of local Independent TD Denis Naughten, who criticised a Social Democrats motion in the Dail last night. The Government defeated a vote to expel the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, by 85 votes to 55.
More than 1,000 people staged a protest outside Leinster House in Dublin accusing the Government of 'cowardice' by not supporting the motion. The Roscommon Galway TD did support the Sinn Fein motion calling for Israel to be referred to the International Criminal Court. However he warned of the consequences of severing diplomatic ties: