At a time when all efforts should be on solidarity with Ukraine, Ireland is debating criticism of Israel

It is indicative of the obsession of many Republic of Ireland politicians with the world’s only Jewish state, that two-and-a-half hours of Dáil time was allocated to debate a prejudiced NGO (non governmental organisation) report on Israel — at a time when all efforts should be on solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Indeed, in both the Seanad debate on Tuesday and Dáil debate of Wednesday night, there were multiple attempts to hijack the plight of Ukraine to attack Israel.

Every instance of human suffering from apartheid to the crimes against Ukraine, is to be weaponised against Israel. There are some politicians in the Dáil and Seanad who simply cannot accept the national or international spotlight not being on Israel.

Indeed, 100 minutes was originally allocated to debate the biased Amnesty report, but following complaints from anti-Israel politicians, an additional 45 minutes was allocated for these politicians to libel the most liberal democracy in the Middle East.

This means in a week when Ukraine is being brutalised by Putin’s Russia, the same amount of Dáil time will have been allocated to discuss Ukraine, as there was to debate an anti-Israel NGO report.

Thankfully the Irish government has rejected the libelling of Israel as an apartheid state, and there were some, particularly Senator O’Sullivan and Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill TD who spoke in defence of Israel.

This report distorts international law and engages in historical revisionism to libel the only democracy in the Middle East, with equal rights for Jews, Arabs, Christians, and other minorities. Designed to delegitimise Israel as a democracy and a state, the report makes sure that the truth about Israel does not get in the way of its lies about Israel.

Ignored by the Amnesty attack, Israel has a clear and transparent history of senior Arab Israeli government ministers, a Supreme Court Justice, judges, diplomats, defence force officers and Knesset members.

Arabs also work at the highest levels within other areas of government, healthcare, business and elsewhere. There are 1,500 Muslim soldiers currently serving in the Israel Defence Forces.

To hijack the suffering the apartheid suffered in South Africa or the brutalisation of Ukraine for political purposes is wrong and does nothing to further the cause of peace for either Israelis or Palestinians.

Jackie Goodall, Executive Director. Ireland Israel Alliance

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