▁E am onn ▁McK ee , ▁who ▁returned ▁to ▁Ireland ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Director ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Trade ▁and ▁Prom otion ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁Trade . ▁Kelly ▁presented ▁her ▁credentials ▁to ▁Isra eli ▁President ▁Re u ven ▁Riv lin ▁not ing , ▁" My ▁team ▁and ▁I ▁will ▁continue ▁to ▁work ▁to ▁strength en ▁and ▁expand ▁the ▁co - operation ▁between ▁our ▁countries , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁fields ▁of ▁technology ▁and ▁medical ▁adv ances , ▁among ▁others . ▁In ▁wel coming ▁her ▁Riv lin ▁said , ▁" In ▁many ▁ways , ▁Israel ▁and ▁Ireland ▁are ▁so ▁similar . ▁Ireland , ▁like ▁Israel , ▁is ▁a ▁beautiful ▁country , ▁filled ▁with ▁a ▁mix ▁of ▁tradition ▁and ▁faith . ▁I ▁want ▁to ▁express ▁my ▁high ▁regard ▁for ▁the ▁on going ▁economic , ▁cultural , ▁and ▁academic ▁co - operation ▁between ▁our ▁countries ." ▁▁ ▁He ▁observed ▁that ▁Kelly ▁had ▁arrived ▁at ▁a ▁difficult ▁point ▁in ▁time , ▁but ▁unders cor ed ▁that ▁his ▁country ▁was ▁committed ▁to ▁the ▁status - qu o ▁on ▁the ▁Temple ▁Mount , ▁" Is rael ▁has ▁no ▁war ▁with ▁Islam , ▁and ▁we ▁have ▁no ▁intention ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁status - qu o ▁agreement ▁on ▁the ▁Temple ▁Mount ▁– ▁we ▁have ▁not , ▁and ▁will ▁not ▁change ▁one ▁letter ▁of ▁the ▁agreement ." ▁ ▁Kelly ▁quickly ▁faced ▁controvers y ▁when ▁the ▁EU , ▁of ▁which ▁Ireland ▁is ▁a ▁member , ▁in cur red ▁the ▁wr