Micheál Martin first EU Foreign Minister to Visit Gaza in 1 year

rich1874 · 25-02-2010 10:32PM #1

Micheál Martin was the first EU foreign Minister in nearly a year to gain access to the Gaza Strip. He didn't get permission from Israel but got permission from Egypt and was not permitted to talk to any Hamas officials despite a Hamas delegation waiting for him at the border.

He described the scenes in Palestine as appualing and called Israels grip on the region as 'the collective punishement of 1 and a half million people'. In his interview with morning Ireland(here), he called for an end to the blockade but seemed slow to outrightly condemn Israel. As with most EU politicians he tip toed around the subject of Isael doing anything illegal.

Son Of A Vidic · 25-02-2010 10:37PM

More posturing $hite, why didn't he show some spine and say it like it is. Dare we offend Israel - OMG! They are running the worlds largest prison, the irony of it all. Their treatment of Palestinian civilians would make the old Nazi's proud.

El Weirdo · 25-02-2010 10:47PM

medicman2009 wrote: »

More posturing $hite, why didn't he show some spine and say it like it is. Dare we offend Israel - OMG! They are running the worlds largest prison, the irony of it all. Their treatment of Palestinian civilians would make the old Nazi's proud.

Ok. Who had post #2?

Dyr · 25-02-2010 10:49PM

Wonder if this is a sly dig at the israelis over the passports thing?

ejmaztec · 25-02-2010 10:52PM

Probably another Mossad hitman with a false passport.

rich1874 · 25-02-2010 10:53PM

Wonder if this is a sly dig at the israelis over the passports thing?

The visit did coincide very nicely alright.

And Miriam O Callaghan had some Israeli bloke on primetime there. She asked 'Does Israel really care about Ireland's concern over the fake passports?'. To sum up his reply, 'well kind of... but no not really'.

The_Kew_Tour · 25-02-2010 11:05PM

The Israeli government and there foreign policy in the United States really shows you how strong a hold that Israel has on Gaza.

In America, Israel can do no wrong and once that continues to be the way then the Palestinians will always have a fight on there hands.

I lived in that region for 6-7 weeks and its frightening some of the taughts that go through the Isreali's mind at times. They are the most ruthless people I have met and arrogant.

Saadyst · 25-02-2010 11:14PM

but but but... the holocaust!

InTheTrees · 25-02-2010 11:21PM

How come Egypt doesnt let them in and give them Egyptian passports after 60 years?

Its like the Lebanese "refugee" camps. Everyone's using rthe palestinians as pawns.

Rebelheart · 25-02-2010 11:48PM

Bambi wrote: »

Wonder if this is a sly dig at the israelis over the passports thing?

If it is, my opinion of Mícheál Martin has gone even higher. I just hope his aides notified any available media to record it.

Mícheál Martin, despite his mistakes in Social Welfare and Education, is one of the most admirable people in Irish politics in the past three decades in my view. He is both down-to-earth and highly intelligent.

Any time I come back from a pub or hotel it is Mícheál Martin who is responsible for my clothes not stinking of other peoples' smoke. And to think of all the backward people who opposed his smoking ban at the time.

evercloserunion · 25-02-2010 11:55PM

Bambi wrote: »

Wonder if this is a sly dig at the israelis over the passports thing?

Why else would anyone accuse the Israelis of being anything but delightful towards the Palestinians.

strobe · 26-02-2010 12:00AM

El Weirdo wrote: »

Ok. Who had post #2?

Godwin isn't really in effect when talking about Israel and Palestine. It would be bizare not to draw comparisons with the Nazi concentration camps.

El Weirdo · 26-02-2010 12:04AM

strobe wrote: »

Godwin isn't really in effect when talking about Israel and Palestine. It would be bizare not to draw comparisons with the Nazi concentration camps.

Mike?

InTheTrees · 26-02-2010 12:05AM

El Weirdo wrote: »

Mike?

Cookie_Monster · 26-02-2010 12:06AM

why did he go?

what a waste of time and money :rolleyes:

strobe · 26-02-2010 12:07AM

El Weirdo wrote: »

Mike?

Bob!?

El Weirdo · 26-02-2010 12:08AM

InTheTrees wrote: »

strobe wrote: »

Bob!?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Godwin

K-9 · 26-02-2010 12:19AM

rich1874 wrote: »

Micheál Martin was the first EU foreign Minister in nearly a year to gain access to the Gaza Strip. He didn't get permission from Israel but got permission from Egypt and was not permitted to talk to any Hamas officials despite a Hamas delegation waiting for him at the border.

He described the scenes in Palestine as appualing and called Israels grip on the region as 'the collective punishement of 1 and a half million people'. In his interview with morning Ireland(here), he called for an end to the blockade but seemed slow to outrightly condemn Israel. As with most EU politicians he tip toed around the subject of Isael doing anything illegal.

Condemnation, while popular and the right thing to do, probably wouldn't go down too well when trying to convince the Israelis to lift the embargo.

K-9 · 26-02-2010 12:22AM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

why did he go?

what a waste of time and money :rolleyes:

Yeah, big waste of money, highlighting the issue for people who may not be aware of what's going on.

caseyann · 26-02-2010 12:25AM

Control of PC world

Min · 26-02-2010 12:25AM

What a waste of our tax money, at least the Israeli's tried to save us some money....
I see in the news there were terrorists there waiting in hope of greeting him, maybe if they accepted Israel shouldn't be destroyed the 1.5 million people would have better lives.
The 'oh you can't do that brigade' were crying when Israel built their security wall, at least it has saved lives, though sometimes people just choose to see the Israelis as always being the villians while the Palestinians wouldn't hurt a fly.

Time for the Palestinians to dump the terrorists if they want peace.

Rebelheart · 26-02-2010 12:28AM

Min wrote: »

Time for the Palestinians to dump the terrorists if they want peace.

Hilarious, absolutely hilarious.

Pete M. · 26-02-2010 12:36AM

Min wrote: »

'oh you can't do that brigade'

"Our message to the Israelis is this: we do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. Jews have lived in the Muslim world for 13 centuries in peace and harmony; they are in our religion "the people of the book" who have a covenant from God and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be respected and protected. Our conflict with you is not religious but political. We have no problem with Jews who have not attacked us - our problem is with those who came to our land, imposed themselves on us by force, destroyed our society and banished our people."

Khalid Mish'al is head of the political bureau of Hamas

R0ot · 26-02-2010 12:58AM

Pete M. wrote: »

"Our message to the Israelis is this: we do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. Jews have lived in the Muslim world for 13 centuries in peace and harmony; they are in our religion "the people of the book" who have a covenant from God and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be respected and protected. Our conflict with you is not religious but political. We have no problem with Jews who have not attacked us - our problem is with those who came to our land, imposed themselves on us by force, destroyed our society and banished our people."

Khalid Mish'al is head of the political bureau of Hamas

Something about this is oddly familiar.... Like something like this has taken place somewhere close to home.... :rolleyes:

/me waits for the "omg you're Anti-Israel that means you're Anti-Semitic!" comment

Min · 26-02-2010 01:18AM

Pete M. wrote: »

"Our message to the Israelis is this: we do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. Jews have lived in the Muslim world for 13 centuries in peace and harmony; they are in our religion "the people of the book" who have a covenant from God and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be respected and protected. Our conflict with you is not religious but political. We have no problem with Jews who have not attacked us - our problem is with those who came to our land, imposed themselves on us by force, destroyed our society and banished our people."

Khalid Mish'al is head of the political bureau of Hamas

Was he strapping a suicide bomb belt onto someone when he was saying that or firing rockets into Israel?
It is people like Khalid Mish'al who have Gaza in the mess it's in.

tolosenc · 26-02-2010 01:25AM

I don't get this mass sympathy for the Palestinians. I mean, they voted for a government of TERRORISTS... Maybe if they tried to be civil about it, I'd have sympathy, but quite frankly, if you elect people stupid enough to think they can seriously take on Israel, you nigh on deserve what you get...

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 26-02-2010 01:33AM

Toulousain wrote: »

I don't get this mass sympathy for the Palestinians. I mean, they voted for a government of TERRORISTS... Maybe if they tried to be civil about it, I'd have sympathy, but quite frankly, if you elect people stupid enough to think they can seriously take on Israel, you nigh on deserve what you get...

Well one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter
There's a lot of wrongs on both sides, it's gonna take a loooong loooong time to sort out, and we certainly haven't got the answer

Doc · 26-02-2010 01:36AM

Toulousain wrote: »

I don't get this mass sympathy for the Palestinians. I mean, they voted for a government of TERRORISTS... Maybe if they tried to be civil about it, I'd have sympathy, but quite frankly, if you elect people stupid enough to think they can seriously take on Israel, you nigh on deserve what you get...

You call them terrorists the people who voted for them do not.

K-9 · 26-02-2010 01:47AM

Min wrote: »

What a waste of our tax money, at least the Israeli's tried to save us some money....
I see in the news there were terrorists there waiting in hope of greeting him, maybe if they accepted Israel shouldn't be destroyed the 1.5 million people would have better lives.
The 'oh you can't do that brigade' were crying when Israel built their security wall, at least it has saved lives, though sometimes people just choose to see the Israelis as always being the villians while the Palestinians wouldn't hurt a fly.

Time for the Palestinians to dump the terrorists if they want peace.

Ach, sure the same carry on happened with Clinton. There was a whole controversy over Adams being granted a Visa to travel.

Personally, while I understand why the Israelis are doing what they do, I also see the humanitarian crisis.

Cookie_Monster · 26-02-2010 11:24AM

K-9 wrote: »

Yeah, big waste of money, highlighting the issue for people who may not be aware of what's going on.

it was a very low key visit to be highlighting anything to people. Also the whole situation has been in the news for years and years and nobody has done anything about it. No sanctions against Israel, no aid effort for Gaza etc, no-one cares or wants anything to do with it as long as Israel is in the pocket of the US.

neil_hosey · 26-02-2010 11:33AM

one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. Yous dont realise what is going on in palestine now, you dont have to live there, yet yous insist on commenting on the 'terrorists' in palestine hastling the poor israelis. Jesus wake the fúck up.

Micheál Martin first EU Foreign Minister to Visit Gaza in 1 year

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