Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Israel Football Association's criticisms of Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson are "unacceptable".
Speaking in New York where the UN General Assembly is taking place, Mr Martin said: "I think those are unacceptable remarks. They should be withdrawn."
"I think [UN Chief] Antonio Guterres said that he had never in his lifetime seen the level and scale and death and destruction as he witnessed in terms of the Israeli government's war on Gaza in the aftermath of the horrific Hamas attack in October preceding the war," he said.
He added: "Our manager is saying the exact same thing. And Israel can't keep denying what the world knows and what the world understands."
He was speaking after the Israeli FA last night hit out at Hallgrimsson, insisting his recent comments embodied "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy".
Hallgrimsson had previously been asked about the difficulty of keeping his players focused on football ahead of the two highly contentious games against Israel, amid calls to boycott the fixtures.
He replied: "I've said before, we're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel."
Last night, the Israeli FA said: "We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way.
"Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed" by Hallgrimsson, they said.
We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by @IrelandFootball team coach. We're not playing with…
— ISRAEL FA (@ISRAELFA) September 21, 2026
"We're not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We're playing against the coach who embodies them."
Last September, an independent UN commission concluded that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli authorities rejected the findings of the report.
Ireland open their Nations League campaign on Thursday against Kosovo in Pristina, while they will also host Austria at Aviva Stadium on 1 October in the third match of the extended four-game international window.
But since the Nations League draw was made in February, controversy has surrounded the two fixtures against Israel which will take place either side of the Austria match.
Ireland's 'away' game against the Israelis will take place on neutral ground in Debrecen, Hungary next Sunday, 27 September. A week later, the designated Irish 'home' match will be staged in Backa Topola, Serbia on 4 October.
However, calls for a boycott of the games have grown amid the backdrop of devastation and destruction in Gaza.
