Is it right to use Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration to make points about the situation in Gaza?

[OpheliaWasntMad]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg8jvkk05no

Yes - I agree. It was not the correct time and his role is ceremonial not political.

They are not outside his remit @junebirthdaygirl he can speak about what he wants, the only time it is censured is when the President makes a formal address to either the Oireachtas or the Nation on a matter of national importance, the address must first be approved by the Government

This is exactly what I as an Irish person voted for him for and I am so proud of him.

“This is exactly what I as an Irish person voted for him for and I am so proud of him.”
It almost seems as if you don’t care about causing hurt and offence to Jewish people commemorating the Holocaust

https://www.holocausteducationireland.org/board
Here’s link to Holocaust Education Ireland- the organisers who invited President Higgins. They are pictured later with President Higgins. They include many people who are involved in Human Rights. Many are from a Jewish background.

The people who disrespected the head of state by turning their backs had already decided they were going to do so in this way- it was not spontaneous by any means. They were not forced to attend either.

I believe the intention was to get the Jewish Chronicle to report the stunt and then have it reported onward in the Times of Israel for a veneer of respectability so that the Times of Israel could be used as a credible source for US media to quote- that’s how they usually work.

"that’s how they usually work"

Who do you mean by 'they'?

Why would it need a veneer of respectability? It seems like a very legitimate form of protest to me. Much more respectful than chucking paint, drowning him out with chanting, screaming in his face...

I can't think of more respectful way to show public disagreement tbh. The only alternative would be shutting up really.

Clearly Jewish people are not a monolith, so some will not be bothered by this or will agree with him. That doesn't really prove anything. As all the racists say, "I can't be a racist because I have a black friend..."

”They” meaning the people who turned their backs, I would imagine?

By “ they” I mean propagandists.
Both Holocaust survivors seem to be on good terms with the President afterwards- doesn’t look like forced good humour
Ms Delgani got dropped from the Soc Dems election ticket last year over her right wing pro- Israeli stance so bit of an axe to grind there somewhere

OR has a different opinion to yours regarding the speech.

One of the Holocaust survivors had requested publicly beforehand that he not bring up the war in Gaza. I can't imagine he was impressed by his speech but had already taken pictures with him beforehand

@Kindatired

www.holocausteducationireland.org/board
Here’s link to Holocaust Education Ireland- the organisers who invited President Higgins. They are pictured later with President Higgins. They include many people who are involved in Human Rights. Many are from a Jewish background.

The people who disrespected the head of state by turning their backs had already decided they were going to do so in this way- it was not spontaneous by any means. They were not forced to attend either.

I believe the intention was to get the Jewish Chronicle to report the stunt and then have it reported onward in the Times of Israel for a veneer of respectability so that the Times of Israel could be used as a credible source for US media to quote- that’s how they usually

I just wondered how many antisemitic tropes you were going to get into that argument.

The Holocaust survivors are happy.
The pesky Jews who caused trouble not playing along with their clearly antisemitic president are troublemakers who had already decided to cause a fuss.
It was all a ploy for media attention.
Us would buy into it.

Do you actually know any of this to be fact?? Or maybe just not think that a man who has been openly critical for months could maybe keep his gob shut and just be respectful as the representative of his people. Of maybe discuss the brutality of war with your nearer neighbours? Who actually lost thousands in concentration camps. You know, an actual connection?

Oh so not so happy Holocaust survivors. Hmmmmm

I really don’t understand why people are defending this ( unless they really don’t care about causing offence to Jewish people on one of the most sensitive occasions imaginable)
Surely everyone realises it is not kind/ wise to use Holocaust Memorial Day to make a speech which could offend or hurt Holocaust survivors or families .

No. They = Jews, in this case Irish Jews appalled by Higgins.

“The people who disrespected the head of state by turning their backs had already decided they were going to do so in this way- it was not spontaneous by any means. They were not forced to attend either”

So you think the Jewish people at the Holocaust ceremony “disrespected “ Higgins by turning their back on him…
And they shouldn’t have attended the Holocaust Memorial Ceremony if they didn’t want to hear his speech about Gaza…

Unbelievable 🙄

He could have turned up and kept on topic

What an embarrassment

Of course he means Muslims here. Because the rhetoric "THEY are coming to destroy western civilisation" is widely used for Muslims. So in a way, he justifies what happens to Palestinians because most of them are Muslims thus dehumanizes them. It is very appalling and very concerning that someone (Mr Higgins) who wishes to promote peace for both sides is expected to be condemned while somebody else (Mr Lauder) gets a standing ovation for dehumanizing a group of people.

In addition, I would say that the canary in the coal mine (or cage as in Mr Lauder's statement) is actually the Palestinians. If we overlook how Palestinians are being dehumanized we will be justifying any other group's dehumanization in the future.

Yes.

Imagine it was during the holocaust and an event memorialising an awful
Horrific event 80 odd years later took precedence over that current ongoing situation.
It would be unforgivable.

Never again ~ meant never again

So you are speaking for all Irish Jews here? You’re certain they are all appalled??

People are defending this because they do not think President Higgins said anything offensive. Surely you can understand that other people might think differently to you?

I think the people most qualified as to whether Higgins said something offensive to Jewish people are Jewish people to be honest, and I don’t think there are any on this thread? I think Netanyahu’s regime’s actions over the last 16 months have been horrendous, and there is disgusting dehumanisation of Palestinians by some Israelis, but the Holocaust and the events in Gaza are just very different things, both in scale and background (unless we’re saying the Holocaust was precipitated by 80 years of bloody conflict over land between the Germans and Palestinians, that the immediate precursor was the murder and rape of thousands of Germans by Jewish people and that the Germans feared annihilation by a Jewish terrorist group) so the only reason to mention it at the Holocaust is the Jewish connection. Yes - dehumanisation is common to both (on both sides) but there are so many examples of that across the world.
I found this article very interesting:

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025/01/29/many-irish-friends-agree-with-michael-d-higgins-but-here-in-israel-there-is-anger-and-revulsion/?

Only reason to mention it at the Holocaust event, I meant to say.

By that logic we can never commemorate anything ever without mentioning Gaza..
.so event to remember the slave trade....but Gaza, event to commemorate 9/11..but Gaza, event to commemorate (insert any atrocity) ....but Gaza!

@Comedycook because Gaza is happening right now.