(Israel Matzav) If you had asked me who is the most hostile country to Israel in the European Union, I would have bet on Sweden. Maybe France. But it's neither of those. Two and a half years ago, my friend Dymphna posted a lengthy post about anti-Semitism in Ireland. And since then it has only gotten worse.
An outrageous anti-Israel display was held over the weekend on Dublin's main pedestrian street, presenting IDF soldiers as Nazi troops.
As part of the display, sponsored by the Dublin City Council, a group of pro-Palestinian activists set up a model of the separation fence and an IDF roadblock.
The activists dressed up as soldiers and beat, humiliated and pointed their weapons at other activists dressed as Palestinians, in front of thousands of Irish citizens and tourists.
The display joins accusations voiced against Israel at the Irish parliament last week, on the backdrop of claims that Israel "kidnapped", abused and undressed Irish nationals who took part in a Gaza-bound flotilla stopped by the Israeli army recently.
Israel has strongly denied the accusations.
But that's not all. A Facebook group launched about two months ago called for heavy rocks to be thrown at the Israeli Embassy building in Dublin. Anti-Israel elements recently vandalized a Dublin auditorium slated to host a concert by Israeli singer Izhar Ashdot.
The Facebook accounts of Israeli Embassy officials have been attacked by Irish hackers and, in addition, anti-Israeli elements are attempting to disrupt an Israeli film festival organized by the embassy in Dublin next week.
"The Irish government is feeding its people with anti-Israel hatred," an Israeli official argued. "What we are seeing here is clear anti-Semitism."
Another country to cross off your summer vacation list. Dymphna reports that Ireland has a long history of this kind of behavior.
When you read these awful Israel-condemning debates in the Irish Senate, remember that Ireland is a country that was neutral during the Holocaust, that sent condolences to Germany on the death of Hitler, and that refused to allow almost any Jewish refugees in, either before, during or after the war. I don’t at all think the Irish politicians are anti-semitic. Rather, they have a range of trendy reasons for their views. But I think Ireland - like most of Europe - should shut up about Jews for a few hundred years.
Indeed.
I feel it a bit in the American Irish community as well. It is shrouded in radical politics, but it is there. That said... there are some Irish Americans who have become part of the Anti-Jihad crowd. Many of Irish blood in New York lost loved ones during 911, but I still feel it is an unstable alliance with Jews. My son is part Irish. It is always kind of there. I wish it were not.
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