The Taoiseach has strongly rejected social media claims that Ireland is anti-Semitic, amid the controversial UEFA Nations League match between Ireland and Israel.
Mr Martin made these comments while opening a new surgical hub at Cork University Hospital (CUH), and urged caution when it comes to public commentary in the wake of this tense match between the two countries, which saw Ireland beat Israel 3-0.
The match itself, saw Irish players wear black armbands, paying tribute to those who lost their lives in this Gaza conflict, as well as bowing their heads during the Israeli national anthem. No pre match handshakes also took place between the sets of players.
Since then, Ireland has received a number of attacks by pro Israeli commentators on social media, calling them anti-Semitic and opposed the Israeli state.
Per the Irish Independent, Mr Martin said: “I think we have to be very careful of social media... it is absolutely untrue that Ireland is anti-Semitic. We are not".
“As both Foreign Affairs Minister and then Taoiseach I have been very strong in terms of firstly affirming the role of the Jewish community in Ireland.
“They have made an historic contribution to Ireland and continue to make it to our society", he continued. “We have signed up to all the international agreements in respect of antisemitism so that is clearly an unjustified and deliberate attempt to underline the country by some elements".
“We have to be careful - we know that social media can be used and manipulated by many, many different groups and organisations for their own aims. People would be wise not to go down that particular rabbit hole".
Elsewhere, the Taoiseach insisted that Ireland continues to hold very strong positions on issues which are base on ethical concerns.
He said: “(This includes) the right of Palestinians to have their own homeland and the right of Israel to its security".
“Our objective is a two state solution whereby Israel and a Palestinian state could live peacefully and in harmony side-by-side", he continued. “We believe that the war in Gaza was absolutely shocking and disproportionate - 20,000 children killed and 75,000 (killed) overall".
“Aid is still being impeded and we then have the work of the terrorist settlers on the West Bank in terms of Palestians (being) uprooted from their homes" he added. “We are not anti the State of Israel - we are not antisemitic. But we are anti the outrageous, in my view, shocking killings that took place in Gaza".
“If you bomb houses and schools and so on, you are premeditatively killing children and innocent people. That is the reality".
“Irish people are not necessarily ideological about this. But they are human - what they see (going on in Gaza and the West Bank) hurts them".
Mr Martin also demanded Israel to allow full access by media to Gaza.
“I would say to those on social media - please let us in to see Gaza,” he said. “Allow the international media into Gaza. I am very clear that if the international media were allowed in unfettered to see what happened then I think there would be a different story globally".
“But Israel will not allow that".
The Republic of Ireland are due to play Israel again for the return fixture this weekend.
Last week, Michael Martin said during his UN address in New York that the world has "failed Palestine". More on this here.
