111 thoughts on “Right Now On O’Connell Street”

  1. Paul

    The Irish obsession with Israel / Palestine is rooted in anti semitism pure and simple. Where’s the protests about Isis in Iraq and their genocide?

    1. Lilly

      I don’t think so, most Irish people haven’t been exposed to Jewish people in sufficient numbers to be anti-Semitic.

      I’ve only known a couple of Jews – former boss, landlady – and I couldn’t stand either of them but that doesn’t make me anti-Semitic. Oh and Alan Shatter. :)

      2. ABM

        Yeah right. I’m not anti-Semitic, but… Did your “former boss” have to get rid of you perchance? And I hope your landlady held on to the deposit.

        1. Clampers Outside!

          You just wish ill on someone for no reason ABM, that they were fired from a job and have to deal with a cheating landlord who would steal their deposit…. why, just why would you unless you were a deeply, deeply unhappy and affected in some way.

          I’d give you sympathy if you had any self awareness, so until then, which is likely never, I’ll just have to pity you.

      3. Nigel

        In fairness, ‘I’m not anti-semitic, but some of the people I like least are Jews’ is an interesting new formulation.

    2. Paul

      “Pure and simple”. Always said by cretins who attempt to smear others who probably have a far more nuanced view of the world than they. Pure and simple.

    3. Colm

      The western world that we are part of isn’t backing ISIS. They are however backing Israel. That’s why they’re protesting Paul.

      2. Paul

        But why the disproportionate level of publicity for this conflict as opposed to others around the world? Because the world hates Jews, that’s why, especially good old catholic Ireland.

        1. Bacchus

          Probably more to do with the barbaric actions of Israel rather than misplaced Semitic paranoia

        3. Dec

          Always the same last resort Paul. Scream antisemitism at anyone who questions the actions of a regime hellbent on genocide. Why the extra concern? Because this is a powerful state army locking civilians who cant defend themselves in a tiny area and blowing them to pieces while the west not only looks on but supports it. Maybe if you took off the religious glasses, stopped spouting random generalisations and looked at both sides as people instead of religious groups, you might see why people are so disgusted.

        4. ABM

          Any Jewish person I know would be very slow to bash the Catholic Church. Much progress has been made in recent decades and relations are very good. 99% of Catholics are also very sympathetic to those of Jewish faith. However you’re right about Ireland – an agitating thorn of a country that has achieved very little on the world stage. Diplomatic relations between Israel and Ireland are pretty poor I would say. Please don’t confuse this with Catholicism!!! (as if any Irish person practices it these days anyway)

          2. ABM

            The point I’m making is that the cliched phrase “catholic ireland” has become tiresome and grating.

            You were “freed from the shackles” decades ago and look at the mess you’re making. You can’t blame all your failings on a popular Dan Brown version of the Catholic Church; particularly when you don’t even bother going to Mass.

        5. Sham Bob

          Most people can recognise the situation as modern day colonialism, like watching the Native Americans being dispossessed and picked off live on the news, and being constantly told how they’re asking for it.

          1. Case

            +1 or maybe actually Belfast from about 1968:). We are up very late shambob, a clear sign of anti semite leniencies :(

      3. Alhazred The Sane

        If you look a bit closer at the roots of ISIS you’ll find that, much like the Mujahadeen and Al Qaida, the west is complicit in the rise of ISIS. The west wanted rid of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and the CIA and Israel armed those rebels. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was trained by Mossad and armed by the CIA.

        What’s happening now, much like 911, is what the CIA likes to term “blowback”.

      1. Paul

        If that’s the ambassadors wife you’re quoting out of context, she was referring to certain groups, not the entire nation.

          1. Case

            Let’s face they aren’t the best are they? The just haven’t been given carte blanche to do whatever the hell they want.

        2. Eliot Rosewater

          Well, it’s slightly different as Russia at the moment (and directly due to their actions) have had sanctions imposed on them. This won’t happen in the case of Israel. When Russia hasn’t had sanctions imposed on them for actions of their government that Irish people disagreed with? There were protests. But I have a feeling that for all your claims about ‘facts’, you haven’t really looked in to your stock questions on Israel. Probably read somewhere that they were the type of questions to really stump liberal Irish people.

          As for countries like China, ‘states’ like ISIS, Syria and so on: protests are designed to make a point, usually to the representative of the nation in question. Not sure where our protests about ISIS would centre around. And they’re illegal, so it’s not as if we have a veto block in the UN against any criticism re ISIS. Quite the opposite, in fact. China’s relation to Tibet (primarily) has been the result of numerous protests over the years.

    6. Sadface

      ISIS dont pretend to be a democracy and take millions of Dollars in Grants and weapons from US/EU…

      1. Paul

        Hamas took millions of dollars in grants and aid and used them to build tunnels and buy weapons with the aim of killing every Jew in the world, along with making martyrs of their own men, women and children.

        2. brian dunne

          it’s time people like Paul were ignored, we live in a world where human suffering is rife and often at the hands of democratic governments and their armies. The internet and social media offers us all the opportunity to expose humanitarian crimes and injustices. Let us use it efficiently and not engage in nonsense forward and back, with people who are either incapable of or don’t want to open their eyes to the truth

    7. Case

      And here we go again!!! If you are in disagreement with the genocide in Palestine you are compared to a Nazi. The usual bullying tactic.
      As for ISIS, the International community are as we speak trying to do something about that genocide! . But nobody is helping the Palestinians, The difference is this, the US is on one hand ‘helping’ those in IRAQ but is continuing to ignore the murdering of innocent children in Palestine. They are so very upset about the plight of the Iraqi people but don’t seem to give a damn about the Palestinians.

      In fact thank you for suggesting that both situations are comparable!! No help is coming for the people of Palestine hence the protests!

      1. Paul

        I doubt the US government is doing “nothing” to help solve the Israel Palestine conflict. By the way, it was Hamas who broke the latest ceasefire, again.

        1. Bacchus

          The ceasefire was over… but don’t let facts get in the way of you recycling IDF lies.

    8. Eoin

      Willya schtop with this craic.

      Israel purports to be (and can be forced to / has within its capacity to behave as) a rational actor.

      ISIS are not and will never behave rationally. Its totally pointless to protest in the hope of affecting their policies.

    9. Alhazred The Sane

      Ah, the ould whatabouttery of the Hasbara.

      The situation in Iraq, and in Syria, amounts to some kind of civil war. There are two sides, heavily armed, battling it out. In Gaza, there is one heavily armed side raining death on a population that cannot escape. It amounts to nothing less than genocide, although I hate to use that word. Worse, the west in culpable in that we arm Israel and we condone the massacres by our silence.

      Are those of us who feel sickened by Israel’s bombardment of civilians any less appalled by ISIS? I don’t think so. But ISIS is facing off against armies. Their actions are horrendous. They deserve every condemnation, but it should also be noted that the west in complicit – the self-proclaimed Caliphate was trained by Mossad, and armed by the US and others.

    11. Atlas

      I came to this thread just to make this inflammatory comment. I’m not sure what disappoints me more – the fact that I was beaten to it or the fact that someone actually holds this sentiment in good faith.

    12. Ahjayzis

      I know you’re purposefully pretending to not understand this in a last ditch attempt to defend a country that’s raining death from above on children, but let me lay it out for you anyway.

      I and many others expect a different, higher, standard of behaviour from a self-proclaimed liberal, progressive, egalitarian democracy than I do from a gang of thugs out to build an empire of zealots. Shockingly enough.

      I also abhor the current situation in Uganda and their treatment of another minority, de gayz – this does not make me racist against black people, or even your average Ugandan.

      The “you’ve gone and criticized Israeli policy – you’re an antisemite now” just doesn’t wash in Ireland – we have no history of it so it’s not the old default position as it could be seen on the continent. Don’t import soundbites from Fox News that don’t fit the context you’re using them in.

      1. ABM

        “liberal, progressive, egalitarian democracy”

        i.e. Communist

        Bye-bye private property, personal freedom and the sovereign family.

          1. Buzz

            Haha, his reward will be a bedsit in the basement of the Israeli embassy with a double-decker sofa. Living the dream ABM!

  2. The bringer of facts

    That’s the problem solve, thanks everybody.

    Great work. That will make headlines all over Dublin, maybe even RTE news. Fantastic stuff.

    “Small island does something”.

      1. The bringer of facts

        I’m very sorry.
        I must be wrong.
        Sorry again, sorry.
        My opinion is wrong, sorry.
        Can you send me your e-mail address so I can send you my opinions before I post them? Thanks.
        Sorry again.

        2. Bacchus

          now you’re wrong.
          nobody had said you were wrong… I said you were sneering and nothing nothing. Now you’re just taking up space.

  3. SunshineB

    People feel strongly enough about something to have their voices heard, and more power to them. It’s important to stand up for what’s right whether ultimately you achieve what you want or not.

    1. Paul

      Ok I’m going out to O’Connell street to protest about Russia’s war on Ukraine. Then I’m going to start another march about China’s treatment of Falun Gong.

      3. brian dunne

        why not protest about the facist neo nazi ‘recently democratically elected ‘ Ukrainian government which is backed y the US and the UK

  4. shitferbrains

    What would happen to someone who turned up with a ” Peace in Israel/Palestine ” placard ?

  5. Pablo Pistachio

    The Israeli embassy shills are still here I see. The only people left on Israel’s side in Ireland are the far-right and the employees that work in the embassy like Nurit and Mr. Derek O’Flynn. Give it up lads, the game is up. Unless you still believe you can put us “heathens” in our place?

    There’s nothing wrong with peaceful protests against the genocide being committed by Israel. It should be applauded.

    1. shitferbrains

      You keep telling yourself that Pablo. Many Irish have as much of an aversion to being seen to be giving succour to the clerical fascists of Hamas as they have of being seen to be supporting Israels actions in Gaza. Your simplistic world of either/or isn’t for some.

      1. Pablo Pistachio

        ‘Brand Israel’ has been permanently damaged in Ireland. History will judge them very poorly.

        1. shitferbrains

          Brand Israel never got off the ground in Ireland, due to the concept of Partition and Frank Akins efforts in the UN . Ireland didn’t recognise Israel till 1975 and the PLO got an Embassy here before Israel did.

      2. jungleman

        It’s good to see you have decided to stop with the Pro-Palestine/pro-Hamas conflation. Progress!

    3. Paul

      The ambassadors wife who are quoting out of context there, was referring to certain groups and not the whole country. I do agree with her though that there’s a deep rooted anti semitism in Ireland.

  6. ABM

    The Hamas supporters out in force today are the very ones who’ll be voting for Sinn Fein/IRA in 2016.

  7. Robby

    I suppose Paul will call the huge number of Jews protesting against Israel’s massacre on Gaza “self hating Jews” as is the norm with Israeli hasbarists. Hasbara uses Judaism to deflect critism of Israel’s policy’s re Palestine, which is not about religion, it’s about a political ideaology that’s grabbing land and wiping Palestine off the map. What Paul is really saying is he supports the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, he hides this behind his claims of ” Anti-Semitism”

    “I’m here because of the massacre that has recently happened, but also because of the ongoing occupation,” said Anna Jacobs, who was pushing her toddler in a stroller.

    Standing nearby, Jews Say No! activist Dorothy Zellner lamented that outsiders assume the Jewish community uniformly supports Israel. “This is heartbreaking. Everyone thinks Israel represents us and speaks for us,” she said.

    “I think there’s a myth that the Jewish community supports the Israeli attack on Gaza,” she added, and asserted that there are “hundreds of thousands” of Jews in the U.S. that oppose the Israeli occupation.

    Most of the Jewish protesters interviewed opposed Israeli policies long before the current campaign. But they view the current hostilities as deplorable, or even criminal.

    “It’s with our weapons, and our funding, and we’re complicit in war crimes,” said Jenny Heinz, a Jewish senior citizen wearing a keffiyah. “My parents escaped from [Nazi] Germany. ‘Never again’ was always understood by me to mean never again for anyone.”

    Zellner, who said she organized for civil rights in the 1960s, feels compelled to by Jewish values to protest the Gaza operation.

    “Speaking as a Jew, this is a shonde. We’re driven by our tradition that says, ‘you shall not stand idly by,’ and we won’t stand idly by,” she said. “I was shot at and arrested for principles of equal rights. I want a state where Israelis and Palestinians are safe [with] equal rights for all.”

    http://forward.com/articles/202796/jews-march-in-new-york-rally-against-israel-war-in/

  8. Clampers Outside!

    The Israeli state is a murdering scumbag regime bent on stealing all of the Palestinian land off the Palestinians’ since its inception.

    Israel created Hamas through years of ill treatment of Palestinian’s, since Israel first started ethnically cleansing Palestinian land in 1948. Hamas was created through the actions of Israel and Hamas is Israel’s karma…. and it is Israel who can stop the fighting by scaling back to pre 1967 levels of Israeli expansion.

    It IS that simple, but the hate that Israeli people are taught and the blind greed of Israel’s govt will prevent it because their actions are just a recruitment drive for the largely toothless but still despicable Hamas.

    All ills of Israel stem from its illegal expansion. The fix is in scaling back.

    2. peter

      Give it a rest clampers.
      There never was a Palestine state, just a british colony.
      The jews had and have as much right to that land as any palestine.
      And I also deplore the violence rained down on Gaza

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