Dublin Council to Vote on Renaming Herzog Park amid Debate over Israel–Palestine Symbolism

A small park in Rathgar, south Dublin, that has been called Herzog Park since 1995 is at the centre of a contentious local debate after councillors put forward motions to remove the name and replace it with alternatives such as "Free Palestine Park", "Gaza Park" or "Hind Rajab Park".

The green space was named for Chaim Herzog, the Belfast-born, Dublin-raised sixth president of Israel. His son, Isaac Herzog, Israel's current president, condemned the proposed vote as "shameful and disgraceful." Dublin City councillors are due to consider the motions at a council meeting on Monday.

What’s proposed

In addition to options linked to the Gaza conflict, one motion proposes renaming the park "Hind Rajab Park" in memory of a five-year-old girl killed in Gaza. The city council's commemorations and naming committee recommended the change last year; officials say only one formal objection was lodged during that process.

Reactions

"Removing the Herzog name, if it happens, would be a shameful and disgraceful move. We hope that the legacy of a figure at the forefront of establishing relations between Israel and Ireland will still get the respect it deserves," Isaac Herzog's office said.

Irish political leaders urged caution. Micheál Martin, the taoiseach, described the proposal as "overtly divisive and wrong" and asked councillors to consider the wider implications. Deputy prime minister Simon Harris called the motion "offensive," while foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee said removing the name of "an Irish Jewish man" was unrelated to government criticism of Israel's policies and had no place in an inclusive republic.

The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland warned the proposed renaming is "deeply concerning," saying it could be widely perceived as an attempt to erase Jewish history in Ireland.

Historical and diplomatic context

Chaim Herzog served in the British Army during the liberation of Europe in World War II and later became a senior intelligence officer in Israel's early military and its sixth president. His father, Rabbi Isaac HaLevi Herzog, was the first chief rabbi of the Irish Free State and a significant figure in Irish civic life.

The dispute echoes a 2014 incident when a blue plaque marking Chaim Herzog's birthplace in north Belfast was removed after threats and vandalism raised safety concerns.

The row unfolds against a backdrop of strained Irish–Israeli relations since the 2023 Gaza war. Last year Israel closed its embassy in Dublin after publicly criticising Ireland for recognising a Palestinian state and supporting South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice — accusations Israel denies.

The council vote is scheduled for Monday; whatever the outcome, the decision is likely to reverberate beyond Rathgar, touching on wider debates about commemoration, free expression and international solidarity in Ireland.