‘Why are the Irish so bigoted against Israel and the Jewish people?’

Anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian rally, Dublin on Nov. 18, 2023. Credit: Sinn Féin via Wikimedia Commons.

In the daily JNS newsletter there is a wide selection of Israel-centric news, from esteemed journalists and pundits, including Melanie Phillips. I have had a great regard for her journalism over the years, and in particular since October 7th 2023.

In her current article ‘The diplomatic crisis between Israel and Ireland: the venomous Irish campaign of demonization reserved uniquely for the Jewish state has long been on eye-watering display’ * – she is en pointe in her current summary of Ireland’s toxic, anti-Israel political zeitgeist.

“Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and the Irish government don’t treat any other country as they do Israel by going to these insane lengths to pin the worst conceivable crime on a people who are not only innocent of that crime but are the intended victims of it.”

As a small nation, Ireland likes to see itself as an important “progressive” political outlier, in regards to BDS sanctions and Israel. Simon Harris and President Higgins aggrandize our nation’s role on the world stage and have become Israel’s bogeymen in their loud and proud, pro-Palestinian proclamations.

Politicians who promote lefty legislation like The Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 should be careful for what “justice” they wish for. Once 30,000 Palestinians worked at Israeli and international companies in settlement industrial zones. But post October 7th, and with BDS bullies promoting boycotts of companies located there – I don’t think that employment opportunity will be restarted anytime soon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupied_Territories_Bill 

When Ireland “heroically” takes its ever-evolving stand against Israel, they should treat very carefully. Irish exports to Israel were to the value of US$562.69 million during 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. Would the Irish government really welcome some reverse-role sanctioning, and the knock-on effect of mass worker lay offs as a result? And I’m not so sure that the new American administration would take kindly to large US industrial investments in Ireland being hampered by Hibernia’s Hamas huggers. https://tradingeconomics.com/ireland/exports/israel

Besides, there are also legal matters to attend to. Attorney General Séamus Woulfe SC has said that such draft legislation to ban Israeli goods from the occupied Palestinian territories in Ireland would be “impractical” to enforce. https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/attorney-general-warns-israeli-goods-bill-would-be-impractical-to-enforce

But getting back to Melanie Phillips’ JNS article * – she asks the question: “Why are the Irish so bigoted against Israel and the Jewish people?”

Is she actually inferring that all Irish people are bigoted?? If so, that question has an equally bigoted basis! As a long established and ethical journalist, Melanie’s rhetorical outbursts do her no favors. Her justifiable anger at Irish anti-Israel policies could be parsed with a bit more prudence? Why demonize the whole Irish nation on the basis of our quite-unrepresentative politicians and liberal media?

When did Melanie last talk to any Irish evangelical Christian to get their view of Gaza? She might just find out that there is more pro-Israel nuance than she suggests in her article, though albeit quite minority muted. Some Irish Christian people still speak in defense of Israel. https://ie.icej.org/upcoming-events/christians-reject-recognition-of-palestinian-state/

As an Irish kick-start journalist, I’m weary and wary of being bludgeon-brainwashed as any Irish Jew is. The fascistic displays of doom-laden flags, the spittle-spat spiteful speeches and the menacing “Mussolini” marches on Ireland’s main streets are intifada-intimidating. The Third Reich Aryan ghosts would be impressed at such cultural and political capitulation.

When I released my video-poem response to the October 7th music festival massacre in September 2024 https://youtu.be/94traptTaQM?si=y2JxEQDHI3ijKvNV  I tried to connect with many public pro-Jewish / pro-Israel people: English, American and Israeli – including Melanie – to no apparent avail. None responded. Why was that? Perhaps I am too insignificant and evangelical?

Broad-minded friendships have to be cultivated. Shouting at and shaming all Irish citizens doesn’t encourage the allyship, empathy and understanding that Israel deserves… help us to help Israel better. Come and meet some minority Irish Christians who believe in Yahweh’s plans for Israel.

We need you as much as you need us!

* https://www.jns.org/the-diplomatic-crisis-between-israel-and-ireland/