The sudden outcry and opposition from some in the Irish Government and elements in the Israeli and US Governments is surprising considering we have been campaigning for nearly 2 years with large public support. We reject the conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism and refute these accusations in the strongest manner. We are dismayed at the improper reporting of the campaign and are concerned this may impact or jeopardise due process in the Council.  
Early in 2024, Irish Sport for Palestine and 1815 F.C. launched a campaign to Rename Herzog Park, in Rathgar, to Hind Rajab Park.  
(I) We are seeking clarification on the appropriateness and adequacy of the initial naming of the Park. The Park was originally named Orwell Quarry Park when it opened in 1985 but was renamed to Herzog Park, after Chaim Herzog, in 1995. According to DCC,  it was renamed “in the year of the tri-millennium of Jerusalem, in honour of Chaim Herzog, the then President of Israel whose father was Irish.” The naming of the Park predates current Council Commemorative Naming Policy. We propose 
that the retroactive removal of the Herzog name is justified as there was insufficient policy to instruct this initial renaming which has resulted in an inappropriate rename. And, if we apply current DCC naming criteria, Chaim Herzog would not qualify. 
(II) We call on Councillors to rename Herzog Park. We strongly believe the legacies of 
Chaim Herzog and his family should not be associated with a public park in Dublin. 
Chaim Herzog was born in Belfast and grew up in Dublin but emigrated to Palestine in 1935 where he joined the Haganah Zionist Paramilitary Group. In 1947 he participated in the ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of Palestinians during the Nakba. He famously tore up a UN resolution that equated Zionism with racism while he was Israeli Ambassador to the UN, and subsequently served as Israeli President from 1983-1993. Chaim Herzog was a vicious advocate for Zionism up to his death in 1997.  
Chaim Herzog’s son, Isaac Herzog, is the current President of Israel, and has continuously sanctioned the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In December 2023 he was photographed signing artillery shells before they were fired into civilian populations in Gaza. Isaac Herzog visited the Park once in 2018 and few, if any, residents attended his visit.  
(III) Campaign 
As part of our campaign to Rename Herzog Park, we have a public petition signed by over 3,000 people and we hosted four community soccer marathon matches at the Park. These matches were fantastic family fun days that raised awareness for the campaign through sport and received significant support from residents.  
After consultation with Dublin City Councillors, we submitted a motion to the Council to 'Remove the name Herzog Park, located in Rathgar, Dublin 6 and permanently rename the park to Gaza Park'. Notably, we initially wanted the Park to be renamed Hind Rajab Park, but this did not meet the Council’s naming criteria.  
In December 2024, the motion regarding the name of the Park was adopted by the South East Area Committee. At the following City Council meeting, 9th January 2025, questions were raised and the name of the Park was put on the agenda for the next Commemoration and Naming Committee Meeting.  
The Committee met on the 24th of July 2025 and after consideration agreed, with only one objection, that the name Herzog should be removed from the Park. The Committee also agreed that public consultation should happen to help inform the new name for the Park. On Monday the 1st of December the Council will look to approve the removal of the name Herzog from the Park and start the consultation process to rename the Park. The new name will need the approval of the Committee and the Council to be adopted.