57 Comments

• 100%irishbeef | Dec 30, 2012, 06:39 PM EST

  Why should Israel get love from Ireland? or anyone else?

• milestogo | Apr 27, 2012, 10:34 AM EDT

  The lack of depth and childish strategy to shut down discussion by name calling is a reflection of US politics.Where all seem petrified of the Israeli lobby.This is the net. We still have free speech and thought.

• milestogo | Apr 27, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

  A very silly thread with most posters ignoring historical facts in the hope that readers are stupid and do not understand their dissembling. Many people have moved past the Nazi,racist insults,a real Zionist knows "what is what" as does anyone with a genuine interest in the subject.

• downinthebasement | Nov 23, 2011, 12:06 PM EST

  I think shuvonn is not capitalizing Protestant. shuvonn, what do you think of the influence of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops on our immigration and labor policies in the USA...?

• shuvonn | Oct 29, 2011, 04:33 PM EDT

  Jews represent two percent of the American populationm, yet have nearly ten percent of positions in congress third only after protestants and Roman Catholics. 13 in the Senate out of 100 and 32 in the House of representatives. The list of powerful Committees they chair. A Sampling Of Committee Chairmen: 1. Armed Services - Carl Levin 2. Environment And Public Works - Barbara Boxer 3. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Members - Russ Feingold, Benjamin Cardin, Barbara Boxer 4. House Committee On Foreign Affairs - Howard Berman 5. Energy And Commerce - Henry Waxman 6. Banking And Finance - Barney Frank 7. Joint Committee On Taxation - Sander Levin 8. Senate Committee On Homeland Security - Joseph Lieberman 9. House Judiciary Committee - Jerrold Nadler 10. House Intelligence Committee Members - Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff. Not too bad for 2% of the population.....

• kinvara7 | Oct 09, 2011, 12:07 PM EDT

  @readabook: I think de Valera was wrong to sign the book of condolences, however, it is also wrong to suggest that he did so because he was anti-semetic. As I stated the 1937 Constitution specifically recognised and gave protection to the "the Jewish Congregations" in Ireland (I believe it was the only written constitution in Europe which made express reference to the existence of Jewish congregations). My understanding is that de Valera specifcally wanted to assert Jewish civil rights in the Constitution; an important statement in the atmosphere of 1930s Europe. Professor Dermot Keogh cites an oral source that attributes the inclusion of the Jewish Congregations to consultations with Isaac Herzog, then Chief Rabbi of Ireland, and a personal friend of de Valera. As regards the signature itself, as I have already said it was primarily a personal gesture to Hempel and strict adherence to protocol. I believe the British Representative, Sir John Maffey, commented that de Valera's actions were "unwise but mathematically consistent" with Ireland's neutrality. Ireland was certainly pro-Ally and de Valera was certainly not anti-semetic; it is just plain wrong to suggest otherwise. To refer to him as an apologist for mass murder is equally wrong and I think you should examine de Valera's contribution to the League of Nations, in particular his stance regarding the actions of Japan and Italy during the 30s. Finally, it might interest you to note that there is a forest in Israel named after de Valera. Think about it, just two decades after signing the book, Ireland's Jews considered the incident an aberration in the prime minister's overall record. And they honored de Valera by planting a forest of 10,000 trees in Israel in his name.

• kinvara7 | Oct 09, 2011, 09:30 AM EDT

  @George: I appreciate that being a fool and a liar takes up alot of your time. In your reply you say: 'I got better things to do.' Hmmm, shouldn't that be: 'I've got' or 'I have got' or simply 'I have better things to do'?

• readabook | Oct 07, 2011, 02:38 PM EDT

  kinvara7 - You mention a "strict adherence to protocol" as to why de Valera extended condolences to rhe German Ambassador,Hempel. As joycean mentioned, the death camp genocides had been exposed 3 months prior to Germany's Surrender,so when German General Alfred Jodl upon signing an instrument of unconditional surrender he was dismissed by General Eisenhower with a "terse 2 sentence" warning that Jodi would be held responsible for non compliance and then did not return Jodi's salute as his gesture of "protocol". Devalera should have done no less. While he rightfully eulogized Roosevelt “as a mark of respect and of sympathy with the American people” he could have minimimized his condolence gaffe by Eulogizing the millions of innocents slaughtered by the Nazi's and offering Condolences to their families but it never dawned on him as it never dawn on "ignorant" George Dillon who libels Israel and their "Apologists" while refusing to acknowledge Ireland's "Apologists" for Mass Murder. I would advise George to refrain from playing with matches and/or handling sharp objects.

• michaelidaho | Oct 07, 2011, 11:27 AM EDT

  @GeorgeDillon Now I am an apologist for mass murder. Please substantiate your claim with a quote from one of my posts.

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 07, 2011, 09:33 AM EDT

  "@GeorgeDillon-- Is it possible to write a single post without directing insults at everyone else?" Yes it is, but when it comes to apologists for mass murder such as you I don't see why you should be treated gently.

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 07, 2011, 09:30 AM EDT

  kinvara wrote "It is nice that you proofread my posts." Why don't you proofread your own dumb posts, I got better things to do.

• joycean | Oct 07, 2011, 09:17 AM EDT

  On 27 Jan. 1945,the Russian Army discovered Auschwitzwhere they found 348,820 men's suits; 836,515 Women's dresses; pyramids of dentures and eyeglasses; 7 tons of women's hair. On 15 Apr 1945, Dwight Eisenhower toured a death camp at Gotha; on 29 Apr 1945 the American 101 Airborne discovered Dachau. Hitler committed suicide on 30 Apr 1945, AFTER these death camp discoveries were photographed disseminated worldwide. De Valera's condolences were offered AFTER the world saw the horrors the Nazis had committed. His actions and the singular nonchalance of the Irish people are revolting. BTW my earlier post should have stated: 25% of Irish polled would NOT allow Jewish citizenship.

• dreadnought | Oct 06, 2011, 11:07 PM EDT

  seanomelbourne -- That's quite a risk you want Israel to take. Israel unilaterally pulled out of Gaza and what did they get? Rockets firing at women and children in Ashdod and Sderot, not to mention a Russian Kornet missile fired by Hamas a school bus killing a little boy. The Palestinians will get their state when they recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland and provide security guarantees. Until then, the Israelis would be crazy to unilaterally pull out of the West Bank. Captain Con -- I think you're on to something. The Palestinians should quit fostering the historical lie that they are a distinct culture in any way distinguishable from the other Arabs of the Levant, and stop trying to deny the Jews a tiny portion of their patrimony in their ancient homeland. Once they do that, we'll have two states living side by side, in peace. Oh, the day you can complain about the misuse the Irish passports is the day that you worry as much about the death of Israeli innocents as you do about that of their enemies.

• seanomelbourne | Oct 06, 2011, 08:57 PM EDT

  readabook you need to take a lesson from your name and read a book maybe a book not written by some Israeli terrorist.If Isdrael recognises apalestinian stae then maybe the rest of the world will legitimise Israel.

• CaptainCon | Oct 06, 2011, 03:50 PM EDT

  The Irish people are well aware the trouble that can follow from a fraudulent attempt to carve out a state based ona historical lie on someone else's land. In that way they have a natural sympathy with the predicament of Palestinians. Nor do we appreciate our passports being stolen and used in international assassination missions. Thank you.

• soccernet | Oct 06, 2011, 09:47 AM EDT

  yet again you've said nothing of any substance, but attempt to cut and paste together quotes to fit into your small minded crap. For example, you mentino a comment about Shatter having an undue influence immediately after talking about the Zionist influence in American politics. You skip over that injustice by saying you know the deal. You then combine the aforementioned two topics to make the unnamed member of the seanad sound racist, and continue to suggest the same is true of all of Ireland. YOoualso make it sound like it's out of contempt that Ireland has supported a Palestinian State since fro 30 years. Do you think there shouldn't be a Palestinian State? and that they should continually have their parcels stripped away "legally" inthe global community? Should they continue to be considered terrorists when defending their lands? and Israeli forces are military, not invaders? or marauders? or terrrorists? oy vey

• michaelidaho | Oct 06, 2011, 08:16 AM EDT

  @GeorgeDillon-- Is it possible to write a single post without directing insults at everyone else?

• kinvara7 | Oct 06, 2011, 06:07 AM EDT

  Readabook: You say that “de Valera was an Anti Semite if for no other reason because all during the war he had continued diplomatic recognition of the (German) ambassador of a genocidal nation.” If that was the case why did the 1937 Constitution (which de Valera was the chief architect of) explicitly recognise the right of the Jewish faith to exist in Ireland. I believe that de Valera stated in a speech to the League of Nations that “peace is dependent upon the will of the great States. All the small States can do, if the statesmen of the greater States fail in their duty, is resolutely to determine that they will not become the tools of any great power and that they will resist with whatever strength they may possess every attempt to force them into a war against their will.” Nevertheless, the British and American governments were fully aware that de Valera was not pro-Axis and that he had been of considerable covert assistance to the Allies during the course of the war and that he had never shown any admiration for Hitler or for the Nazis during the 1930s or during the war years. What of the Rathduff aerodrome? Indeed the Irish Marine Service took part in the Dunkirk evacuation [BBC’s Peoples War Homepage, A5920102]. Furthermore, Viscount Cranborne, the British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, wrote a letter to the British War Cabinet regarding Irish-British collaboration during the war. It details how pro-Ally Ireland was. In short, his expression of condolence to Hempel was not an expression of regret at the death of Hitler, but a personal gesture to Hempel (the German ambassador) in the hour of defeat, and a strict adherence of protocol. Certainly, it was a serious political mistake however you are reading far too much into it. Compare it with his actions on the 13th of April, 1945 when he eulogised Roosevelt in a speech to the Dáil and adjourned it “as a mark of respect and of sympathy with the American people”.

• kinvara7 | Oct 06, 2011, 04:46 AM EDT

  George: It is nice that you proofread my posts (notwithstanding the frequent mistakes in yours). I can criticise the substance of yours and point out your lies etc. I suppose you need to find something to criticise in mine and if it’s the odd typo so be it; whatever makes a liar and a fool like you happy. I note that you ran away from the discussion on Niall O’Dowd’s article posted on September 17th. I just think it’s a bit odd that someone who professes to despise liars would lie so much.

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 06, 2011, 03:03 AM EDT

  readabook (but not a history book); ""Neutral Ireland" allowed Nazi boats to dock in their harbor during WWII". You are truly an ignoramus. I suspect you never "readabook" since you finished grade school. What you invent above never occurred. You're an out and out liar. A shameful fool.

• readabook | Oct 05, 2011, 10:01 PM EDT

  Don't Worry seanomelbourne. You have nothing to nothing we "Jewish Lobbyists" need from you so "relax". So do tell what are the "facts". Having read your last 2 posts, I'm not sure you have any,right? P.S. Stringing assorted Slogans together like Paper Dolls doesn't count.

• MythsandFacts | Oct 05, 2011, 09:44 PM EDT

  The official Palestinians coat of arms is a map showing Israel as part of the State of Palestine. Hardly a recipe for ending the conflict! As for the charges that Palestinians have "already given up 82% of historic Palestine," this is a simple lie: the British Palestine mandate included present day Jordan; the British simply decided that the Hashemite clan of Saudi Arabia needed a territory and cut it of from the Palestine Mandate, giving the Arabs more than 80% of the territory, even before 1948, Of course, it has never been about the size of the Jewish state but the obsession that Jews are not to be allowed self-determination, unlike the 24 Arab and 61 Muslim nations.

• seanomelbourne | Oct 05, 2011, 06:13 PM EDT

  The lies promulgated by the Jewish lobby on this site are bordering on the ludicrous. facts are not part of their make-up.They are a bunch of liars and thieves.

• readabook | Oct 05, 2011, 04:53 PM EDT

  George Dillon Gee Thanks! We're all relieved to know that you can at least express your ignorance with the "Queens (Oops,Sorry!)English".With your command of the language,I'm sure you must know that if you had changed Lenny (Kaitcer)to "Leonard" you would have found it quickly even w/the mispelled last name. De Valera was an Anti Semite if for no other reason because all during the war he had continued Diplomatic Recognition of The (German) Ambassador of a Genocidal nation.Ah!,your reference to the Jewish Presence in Ireland, "Five Jews came from over sea with gifts to Toirdelbach, king of Munster"....Now finish the passage..."and they were sent back again over sea" To further quote you "in the modern age, there was a very significant Jewish immigration in the second half of the nineteenth century" Oh Yeah?!1871, the Jewish population of Ireland was 258; by 1881 458,by 1904 to 4800 to around 5,500 in the late 1940s while today it numbers around 2000. I guess "significant" is in the (jaundiced) eye of the beholder. Sounds like a real Jewish Paradise. As a Google "expert" I'm sure you know that you can just as easily locate the whole truth as opposed to the "Half Truth" but that's really of no interest to you,is it ? Before you denigate other thoughtful input in this column by referring to them as "ignorant" or "slobs" get off your own fat ass and take a good long look in the mirror" Pathetic,huh? Yank I admire what you're trying to accomplish here but your wasting your time (we all are) by attempting engage in thoughtful dialogue with Dillon and his ilk.

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 05, 2011, 02:37 PM EDT

  kinvara7: "Your interpretation of De Valera’s actions are wrong." NO, kinvara, and I think I've corrected this before in your case. Interpretation is singular, therefore it takes a SINGULAR verb. The correct English is "Your interpretation of De Valera’s actions IS wrong." Let's get it right next time.

• kinvara7 | Oct 05, 2011, 01:10 PM EDT

  @The Yank: I think you could have put a bit more work into this article. It is not like Ireland is the only country in the world that supports Palestinian Statehood. Is it not possible to express that without it being seen as anti Israel. As regards why this conflict is more widely talked about in Ireland, well did you consider issues such as the Irish peacekeeping force in that region etc; forged passports or Irish aid ships?

• kinvara7 | Oct 05, 2011, 12:56 PM EDT

  Joycean: Your interpretation of De Valera’s actions are wrong. Remember, the 1937 Constitution gave recognition to the Jewish community in Ireland. DeValera’s condolence to Hempel was not an expression of regret at the death of Hitler, but a personal gesture of appreciation to Hempel (the German ambassador) in the hour of defeat. Certainly, it was a serious political mistake because it reinforced the misconception that de Valera had been sympathetic to the Nazis. RedBird1: Your statement that Ireland favoured the Nazis is completely wrong, the opposite is clearly the case. Ireland provided the ‘Donegal corridor’ to the Allies allowing flights over neutral Ireland crucial for transatlantic flights which secured vital communications between England and the United States throughout the war. Irish Military Intelligence (G2) provided the British with information on German activities in Ireland. While German pilots who crash-landed in Ireland were interned, British, US and Canadian pilots who crashed were usually allowed to cross the border into Northern Ireland.

• RedBranch | Oct 05, 2011, 12:18 PM EDT

  @George: The name was Kaitcer, Leonard Kaitcer, apologies for the typo. @ everyone else, Furthermore could one imagine the response of David Norris writing the head of the Palestinian State pleading leniency for his male lover in a case of underage homosexual activity?

• readabook | Oct 05, 2011, 12:07 PM EDT

  TiocfaidhArmani- Jordan,never "annexed" the West Bank nor did Egypt "annex" Gaza.Under the 1949 Armistice Agreements under the auspices of the UN, Jordan and Egypt were to "administer" the "unallocated" territories,pending a final peace treaty which held until 1967 when Israel was attacked on all sides by it's Arab "neighbors". In the meantime the Arab countries to which the Arab inhabitants fled (many advised by their Arab Patrons with the promise of a "speedy" return) used them as stooges in squalid refugee camps,while denying them citizenship basic rights,etc,while in the meantime "ethnically cleansing" themselves of equal no's of their Jewish citizens who immediately accepted them as citizens with full rights. Let's also not forget the present Jordanian King Adullah,the namesake of his Great Grandfather who was murdered by an Arab Terrorist in 1951 on the steps of the Al Asq Mosque because he was to meet there with Israeli's to discuss a Peace Treaty.Your selective "bits and bytes" rendition of history reiterates the importance of getting your facts straight so that they don't confuse you.

• michaelidaho | Oct 05, 2011, 09:17 AM EDT

  @GeorgeDillon, If you had taken the time to read the original post written by “imyokyrok” and my response, maybe you would have understood what I was getting at. Instead, you display your own ignorance and vulgarity with insults and sarcasm. To set the record straight, my point is that many Europeans love to criticize the hypocrisy of American foreign policy – fair enough. However, they reveal their own pomposity and hypocrisy with their incessant finger pointing at America and Israel but are almost silent when it comes to human rights violations in Iran, North Korea, etc. As for organizing protests against North Korea and Iran, you were right in implying that I never have done that. However, neither do I participate in candle light vigils in the middle of Dublin with a placard protesting the death penalty sentence of an African-American convicted of murder. At least, I am consistent. Many Irish human rights advocates are not.

• TiocfaidhArmani | Oct 05, 2011, 06:25 AM EDT

  @readabook, I suggest you do as your name suggest. Jordan annexed the West Bank after agreement with Israel. @dreadnought, Palestinians did not get an opportunity to have their own state in 1948 because Israel cleansed 750,000 of them took over 70% of the land and agreed to allow Egypt and Jordan to annex what was left. What chance did they have for a homeland then, where was it? Explain, please. They're done with trying to talk, it's been done to death. Israel keeps expanding into their land and keeps building settlements, is this the actions of those who want peace?

• JamesDempsey | Oct 05, 2011, 04:37 AM EDT

  Israeli soldiers treated the dirt they walked on better than they treated the Irish UN soldiers when they were over in Lebannon.

• dreadnought | Oct 04, 2011, 11:54 PM EDT

  Rebelforce -- Since you're so fond of "facts," here's a few more. The Palestinians have had repeated opportunities to carve a state out of the Levant, starting in 1948, and they have rejected every attempt because they reject the entire concept of sharing it with a Jewish homeland. This has nothing to do with 1967 and everything to do with 1948. The Arabs -- ooops, sorry, "Palestinians" -- entirely reject the idea of a Jewish homeland in the Jews' ancient homeland. Meanwhile, there are 22 other Arab countries, which should be homeland enough for anybody. Finally, the Palestinians don't want to receive their state through a final resolution of their grievances by negotiating with their historical enemy; they want the UN to force Israel to give up the West Bank so they can bring the war that much closer to the Green Line. If the Irish deserve a nation in their ancestral homeland, what's your problem with the Jews having one in a tiny part of theirs?!

• averagejoewa | Oct 04, 2011, 07:04 PM EDT

  The Jews only act in their own interests and have exploited any people who have made the mistake of befriending them. This is a major reason why the Jews are one of the most hated people in human history.

• seanomelbourne | Oct 04, 2011, 06:50 PM EDT

  Ireland will not support the Israeli terrorist state.Nor can they be bought over by Israeli or American threats.U.S. foreign policy is formulated in Tel Aviv and the puppet POTUS will inform us.

• sirpeter | Oct 04, 2011, 06:28 PM EDT

  @joycean.You are wrong about Irish Anti-Semitism.While there was a few incidences.It's not worth talking about in comparison to most other countries.

• readabook | Oct 04, 2011, 05:46 PM EDT

  Sorry TiocfaidhArmani- Your the one who's brainwashed. The Disputed Territories of the West Bank and Gaza were administered by Egypt and Jordan when Israel took it in a defensive war in'67. News Flash,every country including the USA acts in their own perceived interest,whether it be economically, militarily and in both those cases it's an easy choice for the USA toward Israel.

• readabook | Oct 04, 2011, 05:32 PM EDT

  thanks imokyrok,i didn't realize that it wasn't anti semitism but Ireland's history of being in the forefront of denouncing oppression and human rights violations. Guess that's why "Neutral Ireland" allowed Nazi boats to dock in their harbor during WWII despite their ongoing Genocde. One other request,please get back to us and factually explain how the Apartheid Libel you put on Israel bears any resemblance to the South African model.

• readabook | Oct 04, 2011, 05:16 PM EDT

  Rebel Force-where fo you get your sound bytes !?Reality Check 1-The Disputed West Bank and Gaza have always been under Foreign Rule dating back to and prior to the Jordanian,Egyptians,British Ottomans,etc all far more brutal then the last 44 years. Reality Check 2- The Palestinians have accepted nothing, not a "Jewish State" nor even their own brilliant and capable Prime Minister (Salaam Fayyad)who Hamas the PA's "partner in peace" rejects as a "collaborator" Israel has in the last decade given up their protective strip in Lebanon and vacated Gaza and in return received continuous cross border attacks against their civilians.The 82/18 "agreement" of land delineation you mention is out of fantasy land.Do your research so you can contribute other than slogans.

• joycean | Oct 04, 2011, 05:00 PM EDT

  George, I think you are wrong to label redbird1 as an "utter fool" for looking to literature as a way of understanding history. Literature can provide a different historical lens by enclosing a time and place in amber and providing insight into how people acted and felt. Leopold Bloom, Joyce's protagonist, is an Irish Jew in 1904. Joyce was writing about a fictional character who would have been a contemporary of his. Even then, the Irish exhibited Anti-Semitism. In 1945, DeValera expressed his condolences to the Germans on Hitler's death. A recent poll showed that 25% of Irish would approve of allowing Jews to be citizens. On 9/11, Niall O"Dowd participated in a discussion with Robert Fisk who attempted to argue that Ben Laden ordered the 9/11 attacks as vengeance for the Palistinians, with the obvious suggestion that the attacks were deserved a reason his Irish listeners would sympathize with.There is clearly a history of Irish Anti-Semitism going back a long time.

• redbird1 | Oct 04, 2011, 04:52 PM EDT

  @GeorgeDillon. Think me an utter fool if you will. I have studied Joyce and appreciate him for his social commentary, if you will an Irish Eye, smilingly looking at his own foolish country. I have no special knowledge of Lenny Kaitcher, but I do know that Ireland foolishly allied itself (officially neutral) during WWII, so that they would fare better when the Nazis beat the Brits whom you of course hated for all the atrocities committed by aforementioned Brits down in old Kilmainham Gaol. A bit of the old 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' and forget the damn jews in auswitz. Plenty o' guilt to go around my Irish brothers. The Middle ages were a long time ago and as for Lithuania, yes my people were evicted from there too, most going to USA where we were welcomed because we would do the work your swans wouldn't. read a little history.

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 04, 2011, 04:25 PM EDT

  Red Branch: I googled that name you gave--nothing comes up for Lenny Kaitcher. Can you provide more details, please.

• RedBranch | Oct 04, 2011, 03:53 PM EDT

  Sure bits of Ireland love Israel; the Star of David flys proudly on the Shankill. But generally the Yank is correct; the IRA once kidnapped a Jew, Lenny Kaitcher, some say it was for ransom, but they shot him dead anyway. Expect president McGuinness to host a state visit from the Palestinians, where they could be re-introduced to their old sponser Mohmar Gadaffi who has recently been offered sanctury in Ireland by the aforemantioned president!

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 04, 2011, 03:38 PM EDT

  michaelidaho: Can we take it that, since you're so hot about it, that you have been organizing protests against North Korea and Iran? Could you maybe share some photos of the protests you've been involved in? ---- No? You mean you haven't got off your fat ass to protest, yet you have the cheek to tell others who they should protest about? What a useless slob.

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 04, 2011, 03:35 PM EDT

  redbird, you're a Know Nothing. The Jewish presence in Ireland goes back to the Middle Ages. The Annals of Innisfallen record for the year 1079 "Five Jews came from over sea with gifts to Toirdelbach, king of Munster". In the modern age, there was a very significant Jewish immigration in the second half of the nineteenth century, mostly from Lithuania. Most of these settled in the South Inner City of Dublin. Redbird, if you look to James Joyce to learn history you must be an utter fool.

• redbird1 | Oct 04, 2011, 02:21 PM EDT

  Thank you MichaelIdaho and Antoman for your perspectives. You are both right. By the way, I love Israel and Ireland in spite of their current difficulties and ancient biases. Between the two peoples we have contributed more to civilization than the Brits and the French combined. When I watched the sun shine through the tiny window at Gallarus Oratory, I was filled with the spirit of peace, something I have never gotten from organized religion.

• antoman | Oct 04, 2011, 02:09 PM EDT

  @michaelidaho-Relax with the Irish this and Irish that. We have enough to be dealing with here at home to be thinking about America or Israel on a daily basis. When you watch a film do you think its reality? Grow up. We, us Irish leave the vitriol and opinion to Fox news and their viewers and to Americans in General. Here we get the news and that's it. Just the news, oh and the weather. Bill O Reilly, Hannity, Beck Limbaugh etc are all American. Now then, I've had my dinner, my belly is full, its a good day. Bye bye.

• michaelidaho | Oct 04, 2011, 01:27 PM EDT

  imokyrok, Thanks for revealing to us that the Irish care so much about oppression and are at the forefront in opposing it throughout the world. Perhaps, you can explain to me why the Irish focus so much on Israel and the U.S. death penalty but are curiously much more muted in their criticism of countries like Iran or North Korea. Right now Iran is preparing to execute an Iranian citizen simply because of his belief in Christianity. Where are all the Irish protesting this death sentence, like they were for the American facing the death penalty in the U.S last week? Do they have a double standard between an innocent Iranian Christian and a convicted murderer of African-American descent?

• redbird1 | Oct 04, 2011, 01:23 PM EDT

  @TiocfaidhArman: Brainwashed Yank? Ha. Joyce was right. ireland has always hated jews and since Ulysses predated the State of Israel, it had nothing to do with Zionism. Read the book. Its a legacy of your up the ass catholicism. New York is not a swing state and while it has a large jewish population, it always votes democratic and Obama will carry it easily, and most Jews will vote for him Israel notwithstanding because Jews are not single issue voters. @Imokyrok. So, you have a token Jew in your cabinet. Big deal, means nothing, and Israel is hardly an arpartheid state. You clearly know nothing of Israel other that what you read in the Guardian. Though you and your IRA brothers certainly know something of terrorism. Hmmm Birds of a feather.

• TiocfaidhArmani | Oct 04, 2011, 12:44 PM EDT

  Another brainwashed pro-Israeli Yank looking to lecture us. It's a conflict that's never off the news so people take an interest in it. What more can Palestinians concede? They already have seen over 80% of their land stripped from them and what's left has been torn up with settlements and Jewish-only roads separating them from their land and schools etc. Why shouldn't be support their right to statehood? They deserve it and the fallacy of talks while Israel keeps land grabbing needs to end and end NOW. You talk about Ireland as if it's just inherently bias against Israel. Look at your own government and their complete and utter bias towards Israel that's seen this conflict drag on because you help arm them to the tune of $3 billion a year and act as a broker for peace when you're completely on one side. One final point my brainwashed yanky friend. The Jewish vote in US swing states like Florida and NY is a lot higher than below 2% and the Zionist vote overall is a lot bigger than 2%!

• imokyrok | Oct 04, 2011, 12:14 PM EDT

  redbird as The Yank pointed out the Minister for Defence is Jewish which kinda negates your point. Unlike the US most people in Ireland don't give a damn about an individuals religion. We do however care about oppression and apartheid. We were at the forefront of protests against apartheid in South Africa while the US and Israel refused to condemn it until they were shamed into it. Now we are at the forefront of protesting oppression and apartheid in Israel. And we are hardly alone in that. Most of the world condemns the continued breaches of human rights by the Israeli. It is American that is out of step with the rest of the world and that's hardly surprising because your media operate a system of censorship that would make Pravda proud.

• redbird1 | Oct 04, 2011, 11:38 AM EDT

  As James Joyce said in Ulysses, and I'm paraphrasing here, "Ireland is the only country that was never anti-semitic, that's because she never let them in". Sad, but pretty much true.

• Rebelforce | Oct 04, 2011, 11:25 AM EDT

  REALITY CHECK 1: The Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza have been living under a harsh, humiliating and oppressive Israeli military occupation for 44 YEARS. I know, by Irish historical standards, 44 years under oppressive foreign rule is peanuts, but for Palestinians it is still a very long time. REALITY CHECK 2: The Palestinians have already accepted that their future independent state will only make up about 18% of what was historic Palestine. The other 82% will be controlled by the "Jewish state" of Israel. Yet it is the Israeli government who continually talk about making "painful concessions for peace". I think that is called "chutzpah".

• oceanclub | Oct 04, 2011, 10:57 AM EDT

  Labelling support for a Palestinian state as "anti-Israel" is rather simplistic, don't you think? Even Israel themselves want a Palestinian state: the only disagreement is on the timing of it. And disagree with the abysmal policies of the Likud/Yisrael Beiteinu government no more makes one anti-Israeli than being an opponent of Fianna Fail makes one anti-Irish. As for using Terry Leyden as somehow represenative of Irish opinion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Leyden ... that's just frankly bizarre. P.

• antoman | Oct 04, 2011, 10:26 AM EDT

  Too many checkpoints. Shure by the time you get home the fish and chips be cold and only fit for the bin.

• TheYank | Oct 04, 2011, 09:57 AM EDT

  McSpartacus,
  
  Curious. I didn't mention Mexicans. Why are you? I don't have any issue with Mexican immigrants to America or to Ireland. I do believe immigration should be controlled, whether we're talking about America or Ireland.
  
  And when I spoke of distance from Ireland, I meant ... distance. All of those other conflicts are in areas that are around 2,500 miles from here. They are also all (roughly) Muslim vs Christian conflicts. Israel is different in that it's (roughly) a Muslim vs Jewish conflict.
  
  The rest of your comment makes no sense to me whatsoever. I wasn't really talking about US foreign or military policy, but Irish policy.

• McSpartacus | Oct 04, 2011, 09:16 AM EDT

  Israel is not "culturally distant" though, that's the difference - and it's completely disengenuous for you to say otherwise (why are you saying they're distant - just because they're Jews?). It's in the Eurovision song contest, the Euro-football leagues; culturally it's an exurb of the West in the Middle East. There is a free-flow of people in and out of the US, in private and public spheres and capacities, in a manner that would enrage people like yourself if they were Mexican. There is a tendency amongst _some_ of its diaspora in the US, to almost treat it like the 51st state, culturally, socially, and politically; with the exception that none of the 50 states of the US presume to lecture or dictate foreign policy, whilst receiving billions in subsidies, and engaging in a provocative colonialisation of e.g. Latin America. Funny how fiscal conservatism never extends to helicopter gunships in other countries.