Go raibh maith agat 🇮🇪 ❤️

[Ohlalalalala]

This is a fact and everybody knows it but it still feels so refreshing to hear it said by one of the leaders of the west. And it's not just words:

Neither Shannon Airport, nor any other Irish airport, is being used by the US military to support Israel.

EU ‘double standards’ on Israel and Palestine - Varadkar

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/leo-varadkar-israel-irish-palestine-ukraine-b2449992.html

🇮🇪 ❤️

Countries in the UN support lots of things and condemn selectively.

I noticed this post on another thread and it's interesting reply. Strangely the UN countries when talking of treatment of women generally condemned Israel more than those other beaming lights of how not to treat women.

'Libya, Qatar, and Zimbabwe were among members of the UN’s 54-nation Economic and Social Council, a principal organ of the world body, who voted on July 26th to single out Israel as the only country in the world to be rebuked by the council this year for allegedly violating women’s rights.

Well, they're just taking the piss with this.

Especially since Iran's appointment as Chair of that Human Rights group was only a few months after Mahsa Amini was murdered due to wearing her headscarf incorrectly.

The UN is so anti-women that I almost wish the US would just pull out of it, which would almost certainly cause its collapse as I can't see anyone being keen on plugging the gap of US funding.'

“Divide and Rule”: How Israel Helped Start Hamas to Weaken Palestinian Hopes for Statehood

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/10/20/divide_and_rule_how_israel_helped

On 19 November 2023, Israel's national broadcaster Kan uploaded this song to X (formerly Twitter) in which Israeli children sing in celebration and support for the Israeli army's mass extermination campaign of Palestinians in Gaza. Kan also posted it on its website and then removed it. The Electronic Intifada translated the lyrics and added subtitles for news reporting purposes.

Shocking to say the least.

‘It’s part of our psyche’: why Ireland sides with ‘underdog’ Palestine

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/20/ireland-palestine-ceasefire-gaza
Ireland is seen as an outlier in the EU – but its sympathy for the suffering in Gaza is rooted in its own history

https://unwatch.org/rights-group-exposes-palestinian-torture-ahead-of-first-un-review/

I’m not sure how helpful this exchange of links will be . We can all Google and read newspapers

And will you condemn the atrocities committed by Hamas ?

This is a thread about Ireland being an outlier in terms of supporting the Palestinian cause. Keep on topic.

Really? You’re saying we cannot comment unless we’re offering unequivocal support for the Irish government’s stance?
We can only condemn Israel ( as Ohlalalala does repeatedly) but not condemn Hamas?
Is that what you understand by “ keeping on topic”?

I didn't say any of that. I'm not sure why asking people to stay on topic has triggered you so much.

I just think we should keep on topic. If you need reminding of the topic at hand re-read the OP. You can continue to offer pro-Israeli views but this thread is about Ireland's position on the situation so offer them in that context.

@Toothyfruity I agree.

Not triggered 🙄 ( what an interesting choice of word) Just interested that the rules seem a bit rigid here compared to other threads. My comments have always been in response to previous comments so I don’t think I’m the one who took things “off topic”. I think you really mean “ Don’t post here unless you agree with the majority on here “ .
Well if you’re happy with echo chambers …

Good article from the Guardian and sums up the majority thinking. The remnants from when Irish people were forced from their homes by starvation, when there was plenty of food in the country, or by land grabbing by those loyal to the crown are there for all to see.

There was also a reason for the civil rights movement in the 6 counties despite what some might say. Thankfully communities have largely moved away from violence and the Nationalist community has put enormous effort into education. The fruits of that effort are seen not only in Ireland but across the world.

There can be a solution but only when the oppressor is curtailed. 7th October has been condemned over and over but it never seems to be enough for some who frankly now come across as hysterical. Most of us can look at 7th October and condemn but can also look at the 8th October and every one of the 44 days since and look at what has happened on each of those days and be outraged. Why is there such a hierarchy? Why is one Israeli child's life more important than thousands of dead Palestinian children? All should be condemned and treated equally but sadly that is not what is happening.

Irish politicians are speaking out but need to up the ante. Ursala Von der Leyen and Roberta Mutsola did not represent me when they rushed to Israel in early October and they do not represent me and many others now. Time for Israel to stop!

Talking about the people traumatised by 7th October is offensive. It wouldn’t be ok to say that about those traumatised by the bombing of the Palestinians.
Time for Hamas to handover the hostages And Israel to stop

It was a message to the thread in general. Jesus don't be such a victim 🙄

Should read - Talking about the people traumatised by 7th October as “ hysterical “is offensive. It wouldn’t be ok to say that about those traumatised by the bombing of the Palestinians.
Time for Hamas to handover the hostages And Israel to stop

How is that being a victim? Blimey . You really can’t stand any alternative view

Because you're assuming everything is about you and everything said is about you. It isn't. I've made it clear that alternative views are great but we try to stay on topic otherwise every thread on this board turns into the same thing.

Hysterical in the sense that it's all that is referred to, conveniently ignoring Israeli behaviour in the subsequent 45 days since and the millions traumatized by Israeli actions. Of course you knew that😀

Proud of the Irish people from Dublin to the smallest villages who have held and continue to hold regular protests. They see the bigger and more honest picture and are not fooled by biased media outlets and PR personnel who more and more end up contradicting themselves when interviewed.

we can keep rehashing history but the events of 7th October were truly shocking

We need to keep "rehashing" history, because to try to set the narrative that this conflict began on 7th October is grossly selectively amnesiac. Why is what happened on 7/10 so shocking and the last 75 years of oppression, tyranny, mental/physical abuse, displacement and murder is not?
We cannot ignore Israel's treatment of Palestinians, which is often in contravention of international law and call it "rehashing history". Even the term rehashing denotes that it isn't something worth mentioning.

Hear hear 👏

Great post, and contains many pertinent questions.
The hierarchy of value of life (and that's what it is) is due to Israel's hegemony and deeply entrenched culture of impunity. Israel is holding 6000+ Palestinian hostages, but 200 Israeli hostages are worth so much more.
And of course Israel's relentless hasbara campaign has affected how the Western world has historically viewed Palestinians. The tables are turning though, it's just a pity that it has taken so many deaths for people to realize these are human beings.

So true 😔

• at least 6000 missing under the rubble (presumed dead) on top of the 13,300 confirmed killed.

Irish soldiers who fought in WW2 were shunned upon returning, sometimes worse.
https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/irish-world-war-ii-irish-soldiers-home

It relies on NATO, the US and even to a certain extent the UK for its defence while maintaining a position of 'neutrality'.

Luckily Ireland does not have anywhere near the global clout needed for its stance on Palestine/Israel to matter much.

By “ rehash” I meant “ keep repeating the same points” I didn’t mean to suggest the points are not valid and I wouldn’t call anyone “ hysterical “ for repeating them. I just meant that I felt things were one sided in this discussion .
I think it’s pretty ironic that I’m accused of ignoring Palestinian suffering when I have repeatedly acknowledged it . The truth is most of you don’t want to refer to the fact that Israeli babies and children are being kept hostage by the people who murdered and raped their parents. ( I’m sorry if that sounds hysterical- I’m just trying to tell it as it is) And I know that the numbers of Palestinian children killed is much greater. That’s terrible too . Also utterly heartbreaking.
Anyway - You lovely reasonable people have entertained me long enough and have made it plain you want to talk amongst yourselves.