Should Ireland pull out of the OCED conference in Jerusalem?

Jeboa Safari

No, we shouldn't pull out. Even Turkey has announced it is going. I assume its in our interest to attend this conference, pulling out won't do us any good.

subaculture

Turkey is at the moment reconsidering, but whether they attend or not is a decision for them alone. I am interested only in Ireland's participation and whether such a decision supports Israel's territorial claim to occupied land (as the Israeli Tourism Minister believes). I am also interested why Ireland would even consider attending after the recent misuse of Irish passports and the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat.

Jeboa Safari

subaculture wrote: »

Turkey is at the moment reconsidering, but whether they attend or not is a decision for them alone. I am interested only in Ireland's participation and whether such a decision supports Israel's territorial claim to occupied land (as the Israeli Tourism Minister believes). I am also interested why Ireland would even consider attending after the recent misuse of Irish passports and the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat.

Maybe because in the long run it could be beneficial to attend the conference? There are several countries who ARE attending, and improving cooperation with them can only benefit us.
Britain has also denied it is boycotting the conference for political reason and will attend future conferences held in Jerusalem.

Nodin

Jeboa Safari wrote: »

Maybe because in the long run it could be beneficial to attend the conference? There are several countries who ARE attending, and improving cooperation with them can only benefit us.
Britain has also denied it is boycotting the conference for political reason and will attend future conferences held in Jerusalem.

And the morality of the matter be damned, presumably.

Jeboa Safari

Nodin wrote: »

And the morality of the matter be damned, presumably.

The morality of what exactly? It's a conference with several countries on the promotion of green tourism. It's not something that would make the news anyway other than these attempts to politicize it and make it about Palestine. If your going to get in a huff and start boycotting everything you see 'morally wrong' we may aswell cut links with most of the rest of the world.
How does us not sending delegates to this help anyone? Only hurts ourselves, and has no real impact on the area, and probably hardens Israels attitude towards the rest of the world.

Nodin

Jeboa Safari wrote: »

The morality of what exactly? It's a conference with several countries on the promotion of green tourism. It's not something that would make the news anyway other than these attempts to politicize it and make it about Palestine. If your going to get in a huff and start boycotting everything you see 'morally wrong' we may aswell cut links with most of the rest of the world.
How does us not sending delegates to this help anyone? Only hurts ourselves, and has no real impact on the area, and probably hardens Israels attitude towards the rest of the world.

Its a conference being held in a city where half the municipality is illegally occupied. It was politicised by it being switched from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

subaculture

I don't want to be seen to be bumping this thread but:

1. the event takes place in the future (October 20-22nd)
2. Mary Hanafin (minister in charge - tourism) and our OCED representative, Mr. Paul Murray have failed to indicate whether there are going or not.
3. today, Turkey has pulled out:

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-turkey-to-boycott-oecd-conference-in-israel-minister-says-1.318899

Anyone have any information as to Ireland's stance?

Nodin

I sent an e-mail to the address supplied a while back, but have received no response.