By David McCullagh and Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
The Israeli embassy in Dublin was in the news before Christmas, with the announcement by the Israeli government that it is to be closed in protest at what it called Ireland’s “anti-Israel approach”.
However, newly released government files show that 34 years ago, Israel was lobbying strongly for the opening of an embassy in Dublin – with the charge being led by the young deputy foreign minister Benjamin Netanyahu now the country’s Prime Minister.
On a visit to Dublin in February 1990, Mr Netanyahu met Gerry Collins, the minister for foreign affairs, who said there had been “a natural feeling of sympathy…