A Jewish man faced an assault on a Dublin bus over the weekend. Another passenger shouted antisemitic slurs and accused Israel of genocide. This incident has raised fresh concerns about rising antisemitism in Ireland.
The attack happened late on Saturday night. The assailant confronted the man, shouting, “Israel is committing genocide in Gaza” and “Jews are killers,” as seen in video footage shared on social media. He then slapped the man and tried to grab his mobile phone.
Moreover, the attacker claimed he could identify Jewish people by their appearance. He also criticised a female passenger who tried to intervene, accusing her of “defending the Jew.” He further accused the Jewish man of being involved in what he called “the genocide of Palestinians.”
Fortunately, the bus driver quickly alerted the Gardaí, who arrested the suspect at the scene. No serious injuries were reported.
Political tensions and community reactions
This incident comes amid heightened tensions over proposed Irish legislation. The bill seeks to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Known as the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025, it has gained support from several Irish Parliament members but faced criticism from Israel and Jewish leaders worldwide.
Ireland has long been outspoken within the EU in criticising Israeli policies. Recently, Ireland and Spain tried to promote EU-wide action against Israel regarding military operations in Gaza. However, these efforts failed to gain enough support.
Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, Yoni Wieder, criticised the bill as one-sided. He said, “Like many parliamentary responses to the conflict in Gaza, this bill focuses exclusively on Israel. It makes no mention of Hamas or Iran and the crimes attributed to them. Instead of targeting Israel alone, Ireland should also pressure Hamas to disarm and condemn its aims to destroy Israel and harm Jewish people.”
Jewish groups in Ireland have expressed concern about several antisemitic incidents in recent months. These include attacks on Jewish students and vandalism of synagogues and community centres.
The Gardaí have not revealed the suspect’s identity. The investigation continues.
