“There is a difference between criticism - and antisemitism based on the delegitimisation and dehumanisation of Israel and double standards towards Israel,” Foreign Minister Gideon Saarsaid in a statement.
Taoiseach is anti-semetic
- Thread starter cremeegg
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It’s hard to take anything seriously that is said by a member of the current Israeli administration. While I do think that there is a strong antisemitic tendency is this country the level of bigotry in both the Israeli and Gaza governments is on a whole different level.
Ceist Beag
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I see Michael D has rowed in now, not surprisingly given his track record. I thought Simon Harris dealt with it very well, accurately describing it as deflection, so Michael D is not really adding value by keeping the row going. However, it is a disgraceful comment by their foreign minister and highlights the arrogance and entrenched views of him and his government.
I think there's more than some truth to the comment, though it's a bit rich for him to accuse another government or country of bigotry.
Michael D is incapable of keeping his mouth shut and is in the Richard Boyd Barrett camp when it comes to these issues.
I heard Joe Brolly in NewsTalk yesterday evening talking about this issue. He made an absolute show of himself. He came out with absolute beaut's such as saying that this is the worst thing he ever remembers happening.
Joe is 55 years old and therefore he ranks this as worse than the 1994 Rwandan Genocide which killed a million people, the Ethiopian Famine in the mid 80's which killed between 300,000 to 1 million people, the Somalian Famines in 1992 and 2011 which between them killed nearly a half a million people, the ongoing Yemenis Civil War which has so far killed nearly 400,000 people, the Syrian Civil War which so far had killed over 600,000 people, the recent Afghanistan war which killed 176,000 people, the Soviet Afghanistan war which killed 2 million people, and the Congolese Civil War (the biggest war since the Second World War) which killed over 6 million people. I'm not including older conflicts which Joe may not have been aware of in his youth but when that utter rubbish gets free reign on the national airways it's hard to defend against the accusation that we are more than a bit antisemitic.
Joe also said that tolerance of Genocide is a concept that he's not familiar with. I missed his calls for sanctions against China due to it's treatment of the Uyghurs (1.8 million of them in concentration camps with a death rate of 5-10% of detainees each year), and Saudi Arabia and the UAE for their genocide in Yemen.
Joe is 55 years old and therefore he ranks this as worse than the 1994 Rwandan Genocide which killed a million people, the Ethiopian Famine in the mid 80's which killed between 300,000 to 1 million people, the Somalian Famines in 1992 and 2011 which between them killed nearly a half a million people, the ongoing Yemenis Civil War which has so far killed nearly 400,000 people, the Syrian Civil War which so far had killed over 600,000 people, the recent Afghanistan war which killed 176,000 people, the Soviet Afghanistan war which killed 2 million people, and the Congolese Civil War (the biggest war since the Second World War) which killed over 6 million people. I'm not including older conflicts which Joe may not have been aware of in his youth but when that utter rubbish gets free reign on the national airways it's hard to defend against the accusation that we are more than a bit antisemitic.
Joe also said that tolerance of Genocide is a concept that he's not familiar with. I missed his calls for sanctions against China due to it's treatment of the Uyghurs (1.8 million of them in concentration camps with a death rate of 5-10% of detainees each year), and Saudi Arabia and the UAE for their genocide in Yemen.
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Ireland does not deserve the criticism it suffered from Israel’s Foreign Minister. Usually, Israel is fairly accurate in its criticism of other countries policies. Criticising Ireland’s neutrality during WW2 plus other intonations are scraping the bottom of the barrel. Last major criticism of our neutrality was by Winston Churchill who was verbally hammered by Eamonn Devalera after. The issue has become a whole propaganda slur and for no reason Ireland is undeservedly at the receiving end. Like I said earlier Israel is not criticising Spain for the same stance as Ireland. I note Ireland is not closing its embassy in Israel. Perhaps it’s time we did as I believe the Israeli people are believing what they are being fed by their political representatives.
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Dr Strangelove
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He completely invented an allegation of antisemitism of the Irish people which was never made by any Israeli government minister.
Earlier in the year he implied the Israelis had covertly distributed a letter that the Iranian embassy had in fact put on its own website!
More generally the role of the President was clearly designed to be above daily politics and Michael D is continuously in breach of this. Even when I agree with him I would prefer if he had kept his mouth shut.
JoeRoberts
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He was better than the other options we had but has totally over stretched the role since day one in office. Good discussion on TV3 tonight where a guy from the Isreali Times basically said it was a low key issue over there as they had much more pressing issues to be worried about. As always, Irish media think we are the centre of the universe.
That promise of a "national conversation" - presumably guided the the Prez - has turned out to be the biggest lie by any presidential candidate ever. He never could play such a role under the constitution; the government would never allow it - and damn well he always knew it.
It looks like a case of the heart overriding the mind by Michael D.:
Micheál Martin's Middle East diplomatic shuttle (a solo-run defiant of all Iveagh House restraint, if ever I saw one) looked to be heading the same way before the hostages were taken by Hamas. Since his coordinated move with Spain and Norway, he's looking almost like a Dag Hammarskjöld figure.
Specifically, the Israeli allegation is that the Taoiseach is anti-semitic.
Israeli FM: Irish Prime Minister is an Antisemite | United with Israel
'When Jewish children died of hunger in the Holocaust, you were at best neutral in the war against Nazi Germany.' Minister Sa'ar slams Ireland a day after Jerusalem closed its embassy over Dublin's hostility.
unitedwithisrael.org
Speaking of slander, one'll notice that Ireland and Irish people are being branded as anti-semitic. But interestingly, i'm yet to see a specific Ireland-based individual be publicly branded as anti-semitic, based on their own actions/statements, by another Ireland based individual - and not made under privilege of course.
Was that not after Michael D made his ascertain?
Dr Strangelove
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He also claimed last night that Israel wants settlements in Egypt which is just demonstrably false.
Complete silence from every Irish elected representative on this. I wonder would it be the case if the office-holder was making constant pro-Israel statements?
It's getting to the time when Harris & Martin have to muzzle Higgins.
Plain and simple, he's exceeded the bounds and dignity of his office - and, by rational implication, the lot of us - with these hot-blooded reactions to events and statement of others.
Trouble is, Martin and Harris themselves have played Higgins onside with their own comments. I can't see why we are attempting to continue with a diplomatic mission to Israel given the very undiplomatic "lead" shown by our duumvirate
Plain and simple, he's exceeded the bounds and dignity of his office - and, by rational implication, the lot of us - with these hot-blooded reactions to events and statement of others.
Trouble is, Martin and Harris themselves have played Higgins onside with their own comments. I can't see why we are attempting to continue with a diplomatic mission to Israel given the very undiplomatic "lead" shown by our duumvirate
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I believe that Sa'ar's statement was made on Monday and Higgins was responding to that. Happy to be corrected?
Higgins is a disgrace, no doubt. His utterances and letter writing have done Ireland no favours. I don't know what he is referencing with regard to Egypt, if he had said https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-17/ty-article/.premium/netanyahus-plan-to-promote-golan-heights-growth-is-amendment-to-decision-by-bennett-govt/00000193-d112-d4b3-adb3-f9f72cf20000 (Syria)he would have been correct.
Both countries have gasbags in high office who don’t speak on behalf of either their government or their people.
Maybe their comments should be treated with the derision they deserve.
Well said.
It appears we’re getting uptight about President Higgins. He is an intelligent man and despite his position, he is entitled to express his opinion especially when Ireland is under strong verbal attack from people who should know better. Let’s say our president stays silent - do you think that would be good? It’s time for some posters here to show him some respect.
The Israeli government and its leader are not too popular amongst their own people. Their Foreign Minister overstepped the mark in his comments. He should be made responsible for his accusations. The subject is not flavour-of-the-month in Israel. They have more pressing issues. But, Michael D is keeping the case in the limelight and deserves our support. Norway and Spain took the same stance as Ireland, but they received nil criticism from Israel.
The Israeli government and its leader are not too popular amongst their own people. Their Foreign Minister overstepped the mark in his comments. He should be made responsible for his accusations. The subject is not flavour-of-the-month in Israel. They have more pressing issues. But, Michael D is keeping the case in the limelight and deserves our support. Norway and Spain took the same stance as Ireland, but they received nil criticism from Israel.
I have absolutely no respect for Michael D Higgins. In my opinion he is an arrogant, hypocritical, bombastic blowhard who is utterly devoid of humility and thinks his opinion is more important than the constitutional integrity of his office.
I agree, they are far less popular than the Hamas terrorists who are the elected government of Gaza.
No he didn't. Where he did overstep, along with his government, was when he and they used the murder of over a thousand of their own people as an excuse for the destruction of Gaza and ethnic cleansing there and in the West Bank.
Agreed. They are surrounded by enemies who want to destroy them. The utterances of a country like Ireland, which has no credibility on the world stage, is of no consequence there.
A man who supported and eulogised mass murdering dictators who happened to support his childishly anti-American views only add to the contempt he should be held in for debasing the office he holds.
They didn't join the South African action.
Don’t forget - War Criminals are war criminals. International Law is being supported by Ireland. Israel is doing itself no favours by marching into any land they wish and they do this because they can. And nobody’s calling for them to stop. The government of Israel couldn’t give a whit about International Law. They are causing death, famine and destruction to innocent people.
Whatever you think about Michael D Higgins, he’s not bowing down to alleged war criminals who only wish to invade anywhere they can and grab as much land as they wish.
Simon Harris has chosen not to respond to the Israeli Foreign Minister’s dreadful speech and I can see why.
I have been a supporter of Israel in this forum, but I can’t sit back and listen to atrocious propaganda that’s being thrown at us.
Whatever you think about Michael D Higgins, he’s not bowing down to alleged war criminals who only wish to invade anywhere they can and grab as much land as they wish.
Simon Harris has chosen not to respond to the Israeli Foreign Minister’s dreadful speech and I can see why.
I have been a supporter of Israel in this forum, but I can’t sit back and listen to atrocious propaganda that’s being thrown at us.