Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin rejected claims that Ireland's sharp criticism of Israel has crossed into antisemitism as tensions flared around a politically charged soccer match between the countries Sunday, with Irish players holding a last-minute vote over whether to boycott the game.Martin, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital this week in New York, outlined why Ireland has taken such a staunch position against the Israeli government's conduct of the war in Gaza, calling its military response "absolutely disproportionate" while pressing Israel to "change strategy" and calling for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.Martin argued that Ireland's own history — particularly its experience ending decades of conflict in Northern Ireland — gives the country a role to play as a voice for peace on the international stage, a theme he returned to while discussing Ukraine and the ongoing debate over Irish reunification."I think for the vast majority of people it does not," Martin said when asked directly whether anti-Israel sentiment in Ireland had crossed the line into antisemitism."We have no toleration for antisemitism, none," Martin added.NEW YORK TIMES ISSUES CORRECTION, DELETES LINE QUESTIONING IF ISRAELIS WERE VICTIMS OF OCT 7 TERROR ATTACKCeltic supporters display a "Stop The Game" banner during a match against Hearts at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 16, 2026, as part of a campaign opposing Ireland's upcoming soccer fixtures against Israel.(Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images; John Lamparski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)The extraordinary player vote came after months of pressure surrounding the UEFA Nations League fixture on Sunday, with more than 160 Irish sports figures calling for a boycott and players themselves publicly questioning whether the match should go ahead.A "significant majority" of players ultimately voted on Saturday to play the game, while one player left the squad after expressing his wish not to take part.In the i...