A prominent hotel in Dublin has come under fire after allegedly canceling reservations for 70 rooms booked for participants in an international conference devoted to combating antisemitism, with Jewish community leaders claiming the hotel withdrew the accommodations after discovering the purpose of the gathering.

The incident involved the Herbert Park Hotel in Dublin’s Ballsbridge neighborhood, where rooms had reportedly been reserved for delegates attending a major European conference bringing together officials responsible for addressing antisemitism.

According to Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, the hotel initially accepted the group reservation but subsequently reversed its decision after learning that the guests would be participating in an antisemitism conference.

Cohen disclosed the incident during a reception hosted at Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, where participants and dignitaries had gathered in connection with the international meeting.

The gathering brought together special envoys and coordinators responsible for combating antisemitism from European Union member states, along with other officials involved in addressing threats against Jewish communities.

Cohen said the hotel had also inquired whether the conference had any connection to the Israel Defense Forces, a question he regarded as particularly troubling given that the gathering was a civilian diplomatic event devoted to confronting antisemitism.

The reported cancellation forced organizers to make alternative arrangements for the visiting delegates.

The circumstances have prompted criticism from Jewish community representatives, who questioned why a hotel would withdraw accommodations for an event dedicated to fighting hatred and discrimination.

The conference was the 15th meeting of the Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism, a gathering involving officials from across Europe who work on government responses to antisemitic incidents, Jewish communal security and related policy issues.

Such meetings provide a forum for officials to exchange information, discuss emerging threats and coordinate efforts to protect Jewish communities.

The Dublin gathering took place against a backdrop of growing concern over antisemitism in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel and the subsequent war.

Jewish organizations have reported heightened hostility toward Jewish institutions and individuals, including incidents involving harassment, intimidation and antisemitic rhetoric.

Ireland has also experienced significant political tensions surrounding Israel, with government officials taking strongly critical positions toward Israeli military operations and the broader conflict.

Cohen’s account of the hotel incident has therefore attracted particular attention because it involves a gathering specifically organized to address antisemitism.

According to the Jewish community leader, the hotel’s questions about possible IDF involvement suggested that its decision may have been influenced by concerns unrelated to the actual purpose of the conference.

However, the hotel has not publicly confirmed that the reservation was canceled because the event concerned antisemitism, and the precise reason for its decision remains disputed.

When approached by reporters Tuesday evening, a hotel manager declined to comment on the allegations.

Additional details have now emerged about the circumstances surrounding the cancellation, including correspondence between the hotel and conference organizers.

According to former Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter, the hotel confirmed the reservation in April, and organizers met with management on May 7 to discuss conference arrangements.

Following that meeting, management informed the organizers by email on May 8 that the hotel would no longer host the event.

“Further to our meeting and after careful consideration, I’m afraid higher management had decided that we won’t be able to host the event at the hotel on this occasion,” the email stated.

The message did not explain the reason for the decision.

When organizers asked whether their previously confirmed reservation for 70 rooms remained valid, the hotel said the rooms had been released because credit-card information had not been supplied.

Shatter disputed that explanation, saying the hotel had not raised the issue during earlier correspondence or the meeting.

“This was a retrospective excuse for canceling the bookings, basically,” he said.

The organizers ultimately secured alternative accommodations and a separate venue, allowing the conference to proceed as scheduled.

Shatter said the organizers initially avoided publicizing the incident because they feared that a controversy could interfere with the conference itself.

Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Yoni Wieder, expressed disappointment over the allegations while acknowledging that the hotel’s motivation had not been established.

“If things happened as reported, then it’s a downright disgrace,” he said.

Rav Wieder noted that the Herbert Park Hotel had previously accommodated Jewish visitors, including guests who received kosher meals from a catering company under his supervision.

He said he wanted to know who made the decision to cancel the reservation and why, adding that the possibility of concern over protests or controversy would not justify excluding the delegates.

The European Jewish Congress also condemned the reported incident, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and calling on the hotel to explain its decision.

The organization said the cancellation, together with questions about supposed Israeli military involvement, reflected the very prejudice and suspicion that the conference was intended to confront.

The conference proceeded in Dublin as part of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, bringing together government representatives and Jewish communal leaders for discussions about antisemitism and the protection of Jewish communities.

During the gathering, participants met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and visited the European offices of TikTok and Meta to discuss online antisemitism.

Cohen also drew attention to the experiences of Ireland’s small Jewish community, which numbers approximately 2,200 people.

According to figures he presented, 143 antisemitic incidents were recorded between July 2025 and January 2026.

The Herbert Park Hotel has declined to comment publicly on the allegations. Its management has not provided an explanation establishing why the conference booking and room reservations were withdrawn.