Is the renaming of Dublin’s Herzog Park antisemitic?

[OpheliaIsntMad]

I think it is . Why make this decision at a time when anti semitism is increasing?

Michael D Higgins is no saint I can tell you. The tea cosy fanaticism makes me sick.

I wonder if there will ever be a post where you show some awareness or concern for the Irish Jewish community? 🧐

I would probably not love going to a park called Netanyahu, ben gvir or smotrich park but i think herzog is fine. I don't know enough about him but i doubt he was equally war mongering, corrupt and power hungry. Also considering he died quite a while ago i dont think he can be really blamed for the recent genocide committed by Israel.

The whole thing does seem kind of anti semitic. We can't blame random jews or even all israelis for the atrocities carried out by Israel

Ok. That has nothing to do with what I said though.

I think the context of my post looks different if you read it after the string of deletions!

The offending individual made multiple posts about how there couldn't be any concerns amongst Irish Jews, because none of the ones she knows had seen fit to mention it to her. Obviously this is not a sensible way to approach the issue.

I wouldn't necessarily be talking about this to my non Jewish friends either.

Especially not if you had any who thought mooting the possibility that Ireland has a problem with anti-Semitism was hilarious. Nothing about that says safe person to confide in.

Its very sad ( but completely understandable) why you say that.
There have been some encouraging posts earlier in this thread from Irish posters who do show support for the Jewish community in Ireland. I hope they are in the majority but I do think the silent majority needs to be more vocal .
We’ve seen evidence on this thread of how a very small minority of posters can hijack a discussion by parroting anti semitic rhetoric and showing complete disregard for the safety of their fellow citizens.
( There are one or two other posters who just come on a thread like this to derail it rather than show sympathy or concern for the Jewish community. )
If any poster still reading doesn’t think there’s a problem in Ireland they should read Rachel Moiselle’s article ( there is also a problem across Europe/- this isn’t a particularly Irish problem) https://x.com/rachelmoiselle/status/1974752769308311947?s=46

There is an Irish Nationalist element that is very quick to identify with Palestinians and equally quick to denounce anyone they don’t think is properly Irish.
Theyre old school fascists in my view.-Fortunately they are in a minority.

The narrative around antisemitism in Ireland is spreading like wildfire (see the Spectator for instance). Our reputation as the land of 1000 welcomes is dwindling rapidly.

100 per cent. I think this is partially why I feel more comfortable in NI. I used to take pride in being Irish but I don’t really care any more and I can see the likes of RTE and the Times from a different angle now and how massively biased they are.

The Spectator is not exactly an unbiased source!

I agree. My point was that word is spreading, whatever the source.

Surely whether it’s true or not should matter?
I don’t think Ireland is worse than anywhere else, there’s no evidence of that. Not that that’s good enough of course, I’m not saying that! It’s not. But singling Ireland out seems like a defence mechanism because of their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The Taoiseach’s words echo those of other elected officials, a rare example of Ireland’s political class collectively agreeing to tone down the old Jew-baiting just this once.

I mean, the above is the sort of absolute rubbish the Spectator has seen fit to publish on the matter. More fool the people who believe it. All you can do is ignore.

There are a lot of Irish nationalists who identify very strongly with Palestine (just like there are lots of Ulster Unionists who identify very strongly with Israel), but Irish nationalists have never committed violent antisemitic attacks and I don’t think any reasonable person would foresee that as something that is likely to happen. Their words do not make Irish Jews less safe.

Words do make Irish Jews less safe . Inflammatory language builds aggression in people and leads to violence.
Slogans such as “Death to the IDF” and Globalise the Intifada and “From the River to the Sea “ should be condemned as an obvious antisemitic threat of violence to Jews - not just in Israel but across the world.
The posturing of Kneecap with Hezbollah material / Michael d Higgins actions at the Holocaust memorial etc - these things will make Irish Jews less safe

With the exception of the US, where a violent white supremacist antisemitic threat exists, the violent threat to Jewish communities across the West comes from a single group - radicalised Islamists - who are not paying any attention to the spouting platitudes of Irish nationalists or lefty uni students. They hate them too.

Yes - on one level I agree . The extreme terrorism is from Islamic fundamentalists.
But there are countless acts of a more minor kind ( verbal abuse/ threats / Holocaust memorials being desecrated) that have risen in Europe . I think societies have been far too tolerant of the vile rhetoric expressed (purportedly in support of Palestinians )
It’s not just Ireland - it’s across Europe. I don’t think Ireland is any worse than other European countries. But the historical alliance between the IRA and PLO and Nationalist communities and Palestine has added to the marginalisation of Irish Jews.

You’re not in Ireland I think @OpheliaIsntMad? Or you’d realise how much the average Irish person abhorred the actions of the provisional IRA. They did not stand for me, or the people I know. I’d run miles from any known IRA associates so I’m not sure what point you’re making here.

This fantasy that ‘Ireland knows what it’s like for Palestinians’ is laughable

Can you explain why a member of a band called kneecap was greeted by the President of Ireland yesterday then?

Or does she not represent the average people of Ireland?

thats just not true. I think radical Islamists get very encouraged by leftists shouting globalise the intafada on their weekly marches.

And if your teenager was being bullied in school for being Jewish by his Irish Catholic classmates, you might feel a teeny bit differently about this.

Kneecap are not the PIRA, though they are republican. They say their name is ironic as they are singing about things that would have got them kneecapped where they live (Belfast). There is also an Irish language pun involved in the name. They say they support peace, for Ireland and Palestine, though they are undoubtedly controversial.

The president, Catherine Connolly, is a pacifist so probably does represent a lot of Irish people. She has vowed to use her presidency as a “voice for peace”. She greeted the band member at a 10km charity run they had organised to raise funds for “the Gaza Food and Play project, which provides emergency food, water and crucial psychosocial support for children in Gaza”.

I wish Kneecap would stop being so yellow and disingenuous and just proudly out themselves as strong republicans and supporters of ‘resistance’. It’s so clear for anyone to see and the fannying around pretending they’re ’against all conflict’ while signalling the opposite is just cowardly.

I have no feelings about Irish independence or what happens on the island of Ireland in general, I’m English but see it as none of my business and whatever they decide good luck to them. If the majority want to completely cut ties that’s a matter for them and they should be free to hold that referendum and get on with it. But I hold nothing but contempt for mealy mouthed losers like Kneecap who know ultimately they can agitate to their heart’s content and will be surrounded by security, cheering crowds and a legion of blue haired yobbos online.