Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has said criticism of Israel's actions should draw a distinction between the Israeli government and people, including educational institutions.
Ms McEntee was responding to questions regarding President Catherine Connolly's criticism of the University of Galway's links to educational institutions in Israel.
Speaking at the launch of the University of Galway's Dublin Alumni Association, at the Law Society of Ireland earlier this week, President Connolly said that concerns raised by staff and students at the university cannot be ignored, given Ireland's obligations under national and international law.
Ms McEntee said that the Government has been "very critical" of Israel's conduct across the Middle East.
"As a Government we have been very critical of the actions of the Israeli government, we have been very critical and calling out the actions, not just in Gaza, but in Palestine and the West Bank and indeed more recently in Lebanon," she said.
Watch: Irish Govt criticism of Israeli government is 'distinct to education institutions'
Ms McEntee added: "That is distinct, though, to educational institutions, it's distinct to the Israeli people and we've been very clear in making that distinction.
"But we will continue to be critical where we see necessary, any actions that are being taken by the Israeli government.
"But it is important as well to separate that from the Israeli people as a whole and to acknowledge the community that we have here as well in Ireland."
An anti-genocide group at the university held a protest yesterday and handed a letter in to President David J Burn, which called for an immediate end to all ties with Israeli companies and Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology.
In February, the University of Galway issued a statement condemning the genocide inflicted on the people of Gaza.
The university acknowledged concerns raised about its participation in the Asterisk research project, which involves Technion.
However, it said that higher education institutions were operating within a funding framework that does not provide a mechanism for unilateral termination by a single partner without breaching contractual obligations.
