Hamas strike on Israel - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

There are no sanctions against Israel. Not a one. Biden singled out some settlers for sanction but that's been reversed by Trump.

In so far, as most Jews (generally) and Israelis (specifically), the answer to that question is old-fashioned antisemitism.

And, it is notable that the response here is, never to pause and ask whether that criticism is valid, but rather to always go on the offensive - which is basically the old “Anglo Irish Bank” defence employed by our governments to attack anyone who questioned the official narrative that Anglo Irish was the “best little bank in the world”.

Why is any country so focused on Israel? Why is it always Ireland being held to a different standard?

To answer your question: awareness. People in the West are more exposed to media coverage of Gaza.

Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people are entitled to self-determination in their own nation (ie Israel), just like every other people.

Anti-Zionism is the rejection of that and, hence, is anti-semitism since there is absolutely no logical reason why the Jewish people should be denied something we adamantly insist on here in Ireland for ourselves.

Genuine question as you seem knowledgeable (i asked previously but noone answered) - is there a geographical limit to Jewish nation in Zionism?

Ok - and that was a really lovely video - but the fact Michael D Higgins didn't do exactly that doesn't mean he deserves the absolutely slanderous commentary he has been getting from Israeli politicians, or from you.

Jews are exceptional, they are disproportionately represented in almost any field you care to mention; the arts, science, medicine, law etc etc.

High achievers end up in cabinets, lots with law degrees.

Start with Nobel prize winners by religion and see how overrepresented they are.

It was a simple question and no need for the deflection.

Can you tell me what parts of what I posted were most offensive/inappropriate/antisemitic etc? Some have already been referred to earlier by other posters vis-a-vis call for ceasefire etc. which reportedly triggered the people turning their backs.

Do you think that what is contained above is sufficient in and of itself to brand Higgins antisemitic? To call for his resignations? To bar him from ever speaking at another similar event?

Did you ever hear of the Mai Lai massacre?

People are making up all sorts. There is a government/military carrying out a colossal operation of slaughter against another people. It's in response to another colossal slaughter but the wrong people (including children) are being blamed and injured and killed. They're losing their homes, food, vital services thanks to this onslaught. ANYONE, no matter what nationality, ethnicity, religion, history would find such excessive force unacceptable. Those responsible in this case are Israeli - not "the Jews" but the Israeli government and military, who are Jewish, but that's irrelevant.

All those disingenuously asking "Why aren't you talking about other conflicts?" are not talking about those other conflicts either. It's a deflection tactic, part of Operation Let's Smear The Irish (but not the British, French, German, Polish because they have more clout than the Irish) as Anti-Semitic as Eastern and Central Europe Were in the Early to Mid 20th Century.

7th of October was evil. And disgustingly, there were people around the world (not in Ireland) downplaying it, justifying it, and horrifically celebrating it. To see "liberals" and "feminists" cast doubt on the slaughter and sexual violence upsets and angers me very much.

I need evidence that it stems from anti-Semitism though - rather than just condemnation of the Israeli government/military. You can have one without the other. And you can criticise both Hamas and Israel. I don't see waving Palestinian flags as anti-Semitic, I don't see wearing the keffiyeh as anti-Semitic. These mean support for Palestinians who are suffering immeasurably. I wouldn't do either myself, and I know obviously there are anti-Semitic people who do so, but smearing an entire country as anti-Semitic requires evidence. And criticism of the IDF/Netanyahu alone is not it. Only loyalist pricks (who announce they want us all killed every July) and self loathing Irish people call us anti-Semitic. And they're just sad.

Like it or not too, Irish people (apart from your insecure Ian O'Doherty types) will have an affinity for the Palestinians being bombarded, due to what the British and their thugs did in Northern Ireland. Why the heck else would loyalists claim to support Israel?

Watching documentaries about the horrors beyond imagination of the camps, it pisses me off the way people just cheapen the meaning of anti-Semitism by throwing it out there for any whim and without any evidence. They know what they're doing though: it's a serious allegation - look what it has led to - and it's about the power of a phrase as a slur, rather than being a genuine descriptor

It's like a man who criticises radical feminism getting "misogynist" thrown at him. Downright daft.

What complete and utter BS. When the Zionist movement was established in the late 19th Century, the Jewish population of what would become mandatory Palestine was between 2-5%, and they were not involved in the Zionist movement. How on earth can a movement claim a uni-lateral right to self-determination in a state they don't even live in? Even after the break-up of the Ottomam Empire, the Jewish population of mandatory Palestine was around 10%. Why would the Zionists get a right to self-determination and not the Arabs who made up 90% of the population?

The comparison to Ireland is just dumb beyond belief, the Irish had been the majority population of the island continously for thousands of years. They didn't just rock up from mainland Europe in the space of 50 years and claim self-determination. Hell, even the Unionists had been in Ireland for 300 years before NI was created, made up just over 50% of the population of Ulster and were the majority land owners in said province. Figures the Zionists were still nowhere near when Israel was created, 5% land ownership and only one part of Palestine(Jaffa) where they were in the majority.

How on earth do Israeli supporters come up with such ridiculous arguments. There is a common strand through all of them though, and it aligns with Zionist thinking perfectly. The Zionists have the rights and the Arabs are nothing more than an irrelevance to be ignored and discarded.

Where in his speech did he examine Israeli politics ?

That was horrific, and Michael D did pay respect to what happened. He also mentioned that Hamas were murdering more Jews and that was also horrific, what's wrong with that ? Can you point out what Michael D said that you find antisemitic ?

Why do you persist in mentioning antisemitism ? nobody talks about Jews, they talk about the horrific actions of Israel. Your defence against those acts is to either say look over there, its much worse, or you bandy about the antisemitism card, you devalue that to the point it will mean nothing if you keep it up. Is your point, that by saying Israel should stop murdering, robbing and raping is antisemitic ?

Zionism in Ireland would be allowing any American (or anyone else) who can show that they had one grandparent that identified as Irish Catholic to return to Ireland, whereupon we would allow them to acquire automatic weapons and go on a rampage to destroy and steal any property from a person of any other religion - even if that property had been in that other persons family for generations and generations.

…but the problem is that he and his government have got form on this