Elaine Loughlin: Opposing persecution of Palestinians does not make us antisemitic
Displaced Palestinians, carrying their belongings traveling from Beit Hanoun to Jabaliya, a day after Israel's renewed offensive in the Gaza Strip. Picture: Jehad Alshrafi/AP
Over the last week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been dubbed an antisemite and also accused of “colluding with genocide” against Palestinians.
While many campaigners here have been vocal in their condemnation of a perceived lack of action from the Taoiseach and his Government, outside these shores Ireland’s stance is seen as radical and borderline pariah.
As Israel unleashes yet another brutal, inhumane attack on the people of Gaza, the Government appears caught on taking further action at a time when it risks fully ostracising itself, thus losing any influence it may have had up to now.
Accusations of antisemitism have been levelled against our President, Taoiseach, and Tánaiste; most recently on Martin’s trip to Washington when Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter accused him of promoting “a blood libel towards the state of Israel”.
The view in many countries, and especially the US, is that Ireland is one of the most hostile states in Europe.
After a meeting with Martin, which was boycotted by several Jewish groups, Rabbi Andrew Barker of the American Jewish Committee issued a statement that incorrectly claimed that “antisemitism is pervasive in Ireland, posing serious risks for its 3,000 Jews, many of whom hold
Israeli citizenship”.
“Alongside physical harassment and attacks, widespread anti-Israel sentiment — including in parts of the government — affects daily life,” the statement added.
There are, of course, nasty but niche elements fuelled by racism, hatred, and antisemitism in Ireland, but the outpouring of solidarity towards the Palestinian people should not be equated to antisemitism.
There is also an important distinction, which conveniently gets forgotten, between antisemitism and anti-zionism.
On this side of the Atlantic, Ireland, along with Spain, is viewed as an outlier among the EU nations, with eyebrows being raised by many at the combined call for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement back in March 2024.
Closer to home, many in the world of business, perhaps holding different priorities, were also baffled by the timing of Ireland’s recognition of the state of Palestine last year and have been relieved at the signals that the Occupied Territories Bill is now being put on the long finger.
With the threat of US tariffs looming over the economy, there is now a real fear that the Government could soften its cough in relation to speaking out and taking affirmative action against Israel in order to appease a volatile and pro-Israel Donald Trump.
But inside the Dáil and on the street, pressure from the opposite direction continues.
Demanding the end of the military use of Shannon and the enactment of the Occupied Territories Bill, Independent TD for Galway West Catherine Connolly said the Government is “colluding with genocide” in speaking “sweet words” but taking little action.
“We are openly informed that they are back to finish the job, back to ensure that no Palestinians will be left on Palestinian land,” she said.
“The people who are there are surviving among dead bodies of their families and their people.
"There is no water, no energy, no hospitals, and they are being starved to death, and we talk.”
Addressing Tánaiste Simon Harris, Connolly asked: “What is Ireland doing? Along with our sweet words, we are actively colluding with genocide and with the slaughter of innocent people.”
Harris said he was “so sick and tired” of being misrepresented and pointed to five separate measures that the Government is taking.
Referencing Ireland’s involvement in the International Court of Justice case taken against Israel by South Africa, Harris said that, at a time when international courts are coming under attack from others, “we are proudly standing with the international courts and speaking up for international law”.
Harris argued that the Government is also providing significant humanitarian aid with trucks currently in Jordan with enough support for 6,000 people in Gaza.
“The third thing we are doing is supporting Unrwa. Talk to the director general of Unrwa and ask him how supportive this Government has been.
"Not only have we provided €38m at a time when others have walked away and walked off the pitch from Unrwa, we have provided €38m on behalf of the people of this country. “
He said the Coalition is working with Arab countries to support the Arab plan for reconstruction.
“The fifth practical thing we are doing is engaging to advance the commitment in the programme for Government to legislate on the occupied territories.”
With the US complicit in what is being unleashed by Israel in Gaza and Europe a weakened entity, Ireland must raise its voice louder than before.
To Leiter and the many others who have accused our political leaders of being antisemitic, we must make it clear that Irish people are not anti-Jewish.
We are, however, vehemently opposed to the repeated persecution of Palestinians over many years.
We abhor the collective punishment of a people who long before October 7 had been living in an open-air prison.
We strongly condemn the oppression and systematic annihilation of an ethnic group.
The Government must stress this view through action, even if that action causes more unmerited criticism.
