(Jewish Chronicle-UK) Lorin Bell-Cross - Former Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter, 74, who is Jewish and also served as the country's defense minister, said in an interview that Ireland has seen an explosion in antisemitism after Oct. 7 and is the most anti-Israel country in Europe. He criticized the adoption of "the Hamas narrative" by sections of Irish society. "The mainstream press primarily adopts the Hamas narratives; any explanation of events that come from the Israeli side is treated as dishonest or treated with cynicism. The main portrayal of the conflict in Ireland is that an 'event' occurred on Oct. 7...and some journalists regard what happened on Oct. 7 as an atrocity, but 'perhaps understandable,' and then the perception is that since Oct. 7 Israel has simply been exacting revenge by arbitrarily bombing and murdering Palestinians." "There's no reportage or appreciation in Ireland of the reality that Hamas is still intent on destroying Israel, that it wants to resume its total rule of Gaza." He said there has been an embrace of Islamist talking points which has led to people "proudly marching in Dublin with Hamas and Hizbullah and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine flags, all chanting 'from the river to the sea' and calling for global Intifada." "We have a real problem in this country. I think Ireland is not merely the most anti-Israel country in the European Union, or possibly in Europe. Unfortunately, the hostility to Israel has resulted in narratives being used on a regular basis that replicate the narratives in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. The only difference is the word Israel is substituted for Jew, or the word Zionist is substituted for Jew....The main narrative, essentially, is that the only reason the conflict continues is it's Israel's fault." Shatter noted that Ireland re-opened its embassy in Iran in October 2024. "At no stage have they ever criticized Iran for its endemic - at government level - antisemitic pronouncements and its commitment to Israel's destruction" as well as funding for terrorist groups Hamas, Hizbullah and the Houthis.
2025-05-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive