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Why Do Many People in Ireland Think It Perfectly Acceptable to Deny Israel's National Identity?
(Irish Times) Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich - When I became ambassador to Ireland in August 2023, I looked forward to a recalibration of relations between our two countries. Unfortunately, six months into the war that was launched upon Israel by Hamas, we see the one-sided media coverage and hear the often-vitriolic rhetoric of politicians. After the horrific event of Oct. 7 when 1,200 of our people were slaughtered, hundreds raped and tortured, and hundreds more including children were kidnapped and sent into a living hell of captivity in Gaza, in most EU capitals there were strong expressions of solidarity with Israel. But in Ireland there was an automatic expression of solidarity with Palestinians, and even Hamas. Politicians and commentators saw an opportunity to castigate my country even before the IDF began its ground operation in Gaza to release the hostages and defeat Hamas. It appears that any show of empathy or humanity expressed toward Israel has been bullied out of public spaces due to an environment of hostility that has been allowed to prevail. It seems that in Ireland there is limited freedom of opinion. Many Irish politicians have called for my expulsion, all the while disregarding any suffering of people in Israel. They have embraced the "Palestinian cause" unconditionally, which in essence gives support to Hamas and other jihadist movements. In Ireland, Hamas is not held to any account, nor is it the subject of protest or pressure. Some even celebrate it as Palestinian "resistance." Criticism of Israel in Ireland has crossed a line. Delegitimizing Israel and Zionism as a whole is anti-Semitic. Why in Ireland do many people think it perfectly acceptable to deny my people's national identity? Why is Zionism the only national identity called into question by some Irish people? Israel has achieved peace with its neighbors many times before when a desire for coexistence has been present among all sides. Hamas is not interested in coexistence.