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THIS MORNING, A group of 19 children from Al Helal Football Academy in Gaza, Palestine, arrived in Dublin Airport for a nine-day trip around the country.
Organised by Gaza Action Ireland (GAI), the project sees the children – aged between 10 and 14 – embark on a hectic schedule around Ireland, where they’ll play matches in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Leitrim.
GAI coordinator Zoe Lawlor said that, as previous trips to Ireland from young footballers in Gaza were such an “uplifting, joyous experience”, they had to “do it all again this year”.
The programme was originally launched by former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and former Irish rugby international Trevor Hogan, and the project aims to “give the kids some relief from the stress of living under blockade” in the region.
Speaking in support of the project in 2014, Kerr said: “What the Gaza Action Group is trying to provide is an opportunity for these kids, and maybe many kids in the future, to aspire to play football, to see something outside the restrictive lifestyle of Palestine, of Gaza and to play football in a joyful manner among Irish kids in a calm, peaceful situation.”
The football academy itself struggles due to a lack of facilities, equipment and safe places to play against the backdrop of crises in Gaza. Few of the children have ever left Gaza, according to GAI.
Just yesterday, a Palestinian was said to have been shot dead by the Israeli army in Gaza, as clashes erupted amid heightened tensions in recent weeks.
The children have started their first day in Ireland with a trip down to the astro pitches in Ringsend for a few games of football, and they’ll then head on to Sandymount at midday today.
Fundraising events are being held all over the country over the next few days and weeks.
After a whirlwind trip around the country, the children will leave Ireland on 6 August.
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Well done to all involved .
@Wayne Scales: just dont bri g them to Bray or should i say north korea.
@Wayne Scales: it will be nice for them to actually get the respect that all humans deserve. I hope they have a great time.
Wonderful to see and what an experience for these children. Great that again Ireland shows solidarity with the oppressed children of Palestine. No child on earth should have live the way these children have to
@free Palestine: true. It’s terrible how their own ‘government’ treats its citizens.
@free Palestine: Very true children living under HAMAS are oppressed….HAMAS control everything in Gaza…..While their leaders live in luxury in Qatar…
Oh here we go … A load of Zionist losers trying to justify the indefensible.
Hope these kids have a great time !
@John003: Hamas controls everything in Gaza? Really?? Israel and it’s blockade is not the overarching form of control over the people of Gaza then no? Go away and crawl back under your rock John.
Great. I’ve played soccer in an ally way in Gaza with Palestinian kids. The ball was a parched plastic affair about twenty years old. Due to the Israeli blockade they have next to nothing. I hope the kids have a ‘ball’ while they’re here.
@Niall Conneely: Egypt has total blockade on Gaza despite fighting 3 wars for them…..Isreal blockade is not total much of their supplies comes from Isreal…..
@Niall Conneely: Niall you’re a fool if you think Israel blocks footballs.
@John003: yep Egypt is a US sponsored client state. I’ve been there. You are totally correct, they also enforce the blockade
Respect to Brian and Trevor pity it’s only a temporary respite from the zoo like ghetto they are forced to live in.
Fair play to Brian Kerr and the lads.
Do any of them have an Irish granny?!
I wish them well. Their government Hamas are terrorists who prefer to spend their money on attacking Israel, and siphoning international aid into their own pockets, than building a better country for their people. Maybe one of them will be the one to reintroduce democracy to Gaza. Its time for 2 states and peace.
@Honeybadger197: time for two sovereign states. Viva Palestina!
@Niall Conneely: Ageed. Viva Israel!
@Honeybadger197: the IDF are terrorists who prefer to spend American money on Apache helicopters to blow up these children . You don’t fool anyone here honey
@Honeybadger197: there was always going to be one bellend going to bring the hasbara bile into this story. Well done, HB!
@David Hogan: This comment is a wonderful example of the ability of some to completely overlook the actions, intent and absolute failures of Hamas. I assume you’re happy to overlook them cancelling democratic processes, outlaw opposition parties, kill and maim activists that speak out against them. If your concern for Palestinians was genuine you’d be furious at the many ways Hamas betray their people.
@Paul Devlin: For clarity, what part is “hasbara bile” Paul?
@Honeybadger197: the failures of Hamas are of little significance compare to the Zionist toe rags that are trying to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian race . I’d rather have a bad government than an occupying Force that wants to kill my entire race . What planet do you live on ?
@Brendan Mulhern: Clearly one where blatant lies aren’t the norm. Nobody is occupying Gaza. Nobody is ethnically cleansing anyone. Palestinian isn’t a race. I wouldn’t like to live under a sharia guided government – if you would I assume you don’t have a wife or daughters. You might acquaint yourself with the truth in future – you won’t appear as silly next time.
@Honeybadger197:you are implying that only for Hamas the Palestinians would have a land of milk and honey the Palestinians were brutalised and their land stolen long before Hamas was around don’t forget when the Palestinians tried marching peacefully for their rights they were beaten tortured and murdered.
@Dave Hogan: You’re still doing it! You and many others here always look the other way when Hamas get rightly criticised. This inability to hold them to account and ask how their futile plans to destroy Israel will improve Gaza joe soaps life only encourages them. The truth is you’re more anti-Israel than pro-Palestinian. Nothing else explains such moral relativism.
@Honeybadger197: I’am not anti Israel I would criticise the Palestinians if they had stolen Jewish land and murdered tortured and brutalised the remaining occupants no country in the Middle East is stupid enough to believe that nuclear powered Israel backed up by America and the west is capable of being wiped off the face of the earth least of all a couple of brave fighters armed with home made rockets makes a great soundbite but that’s all it is. I
@Dave Hogan: “a couple of brave fighters”. Wow. Is that how you’d describe Hamas? Good man. Enjoy your weekend.
@Dave Hogan: You are such a moron…. Hamas will do EVERYTHING that you claim that Israel is doing if they have the chance. They want to destroy Israel and kill all Jews, it’s in their charter. If Israel wanted to kill all Palestinians they could do so tomorrow. “Brave fighters” you say. Great, you’d say the same about Isis would you? Unbelievable. Really brave to fire rockets into residential areas isn’t it?
@James Dolan: if they had the chance they would destroy Israel ? That’s sounds like the reason America attacked iraq and turned it into hell on earth for the occupants.
@James Dolan: how many Israelites were killed by these thousands of deadly rockets?
@Dave Hogan: Are the numbers relevant? If hamas fire 1000 rockets and kill two people, does that make it okay?
@James Dolan: no it does not and I happen to think Palestinian military resistance is the wrong tactic and has not worked, mass organised peaceful demonstrations would be more effective in the present time.
@Dave Hogan: BS The Muslim Arabs don’t want a 2 state solution. They want the anialation of the Jews.
@William Grogan: are you their official spokesperson?
@Dave Hogan: IT SAYS IT IN THEIR FUKING CHARTER!
@Honeybadger197: Hi Badge. At least these children won’t be gunned down by an Apartheid Israeli gunboat like their friends were when playing football on a Gaza beach.
Check out the excellent BDS site for further ways to show solidarity with these children.
@Peter Higgins: Nor blown up with their pregnant mother in a pizza parlour.
https://youtu.be/pY19Y83eESY
@Dave Hogan: Hi, I see you are receiving the usual insults and invective from the Hasbara brigade. I attach a link to a liberal Jewish Jazz musician who will explain their insidious methods.
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/jonathon-blakeley-a-guide-to-hasbara-trolls.html
@Peter Higgins: Hi Peter.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4171/bds-immoral
@David Hogan: Let’s try to stick the facts – Israel’s history does appear to go back a bit further than the events post WW2:
“The first record of the name Israel (as ysrỉꜣr) occurs in the Merneptah stele, erected for Egyptian Pharaoh Merneptah (son of Ramses II) c. 1209 BCE, “Israel is laid waste and his seed is not. William G. Dever sees this “Israel” in the central highlands as a cultural and probably political entity, more an ethnic group rather than an organized state.”
@Dave Hogan: How did we get from children coming to Ireland to play fooball to “Israel is bad because the United States invaded Iraq” ?
@Honeybadger197: Hi Badge, Well, I thought I had seen all the pathetic Hasbara apologist propaganda there was, but this is new!
Sounds very much like panicsville to me, I didn’t realize that BDS was having such impact so soon..
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/jonathon-blakeley-a-guide-to-hasbara-trolls.html
@Honeybadger197: Hasbara Troll!
@Peter Higgins: Hi Peter! I’ve always supported a 2 state solution. Shame you don’t share this hope for 2 peoples. No, you want Israel gone – the rest is details.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4171/bds-immoral
@michael byrne: Hi Michael, I see you’ve taken the ad hominem option here. It suggests you are unable to debate. That pleases me. ( if you’d also be good enough to post your evidence that’d be great too. Dear Peter made the same accusations but admitted he had no proof either. ) Its a sad old day when a grown man makes things up instead of debating. Cheers!
@Peter Higgins: thank you peter, I’am dismayed that to express sympathy for the shell shocked trapped inhabitants of gaza is interpreted as support for Hamas or other entity’s by so many people.
@Honeybadger197: cant even resist can you…pathetic
@Honeybadger197: Hamas doesn’t get International aid, NGO’s do and Qatari’s ensure their aid goes to rebuilding the thousands of homes blown to smithereens by the Israeli’s.
@William Grogan: Note how the hasbarists intentionally leave out the Palestinian Christians and try to make it look like a religious conflict and not what it actually is, a colonial settler project.
@William Grogan: that’s odd because the Arab League and Iran have long proposed a place plan of comprehensive recognition and normalisation of all relationships with Israel in return for a Palestinian state based in the 67 borders. Israel utterly rejects it every time it’s put to the UN ad constantly expands its colonisation program against international law and the Geneva Conventions. Oh, and the ‘Muslim Arab’ states of Egypt and Jordan have had peace treaties and friendly relations with Israel for decades now
@James Dolan: Yes the numbers are relevant. Killing 2 people would not make it ok but killing 100 or 500 certainly does make it worse. The numbers are relevant.
@James Dolan: You cannot equate what “Muslim arabs” want with what hamas wants…. or wanted. As at any rate, In 2010, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal stated that the Charter is “a piece of history and no longer relevant, but cannot be changed for internal reasons.”
In the Uk, it is largely accepted that remainers voted largely for labour. Yet labours policy is now officially pro brexit. I don’t believe those who voted are genuinely aligned with corbyns policy on Europe either. They just feel their interests are best represented by labour at this time.
Likewise it’s clear that even the leadership of Hamas is not aligned with this old document, never mind those who voted for Hamas.
Look at how sinn fein’s position evolved through the years of the peace process…..I could go on….
No Palestinian girls team to play the Irish girls!!?
Good idea, maybe next time.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_women%27s_national_football_team
Great initiative. Light at the end of the tunnel for a people living under constant threat and oppression of state funded terrorism by Israel.
@Toon Army: Isreal left Gaza in 2005 expelled 30000 settlers….The only terrorists in Gaza are HAMAS attacking Egypt also……Gaza could be the Singapore of the Middle East….
@Toon Army: we should bring over some christian kids from the Lebanon next, you know the ones getting persecuted by the Muslims they kindly took in as refugees not so long ago.
@neimad: why don’t you get straight on that?
@neimad: I was with the army in the Leb. The Christians seemed to be doing just fine
It’s a great opportunity for the kids. All I’d say is, if it’s only boys, and you’re leaving the girls in the war zone, at least be honest about it and refer to them as boys not “children”.
@Jennifer Breslin: Since when did boys stopped being children?
@Jennifer Breslin: does the feminist doctrine have to be dragged into everything? Feck sake.
@Jennifer Breslin: Jesus Jennifer, you’re some craic!
@Stephen Foster: no but I’d say there are Palestinian girls who’d also like to make the trip. No doubt if it was only girls who came over you guys would be the ones bleating on about PC gone mad and something about feminazis!
@Deborah Behan: so what you’re really saying is that it does?
@Deborah Behan: It probably has something to do with the fact Gaza is run by Islamists with the support of most of the people there who view women as inferior to men.
Have a great time kids. Free Palestine
I had the pleasure of seeing these kids coming out into the arrivals hall today,absolutely made my heart smile. Well done to the organisers, hope these kids enjoy their respite here.
Great stuff would have been good to bring some Israeli children as well – you know peace and all that. Taking sides didn’t really work out so well in the north. Sad to see some have turned this nice story in a political platform so I will leave this here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/stop-infantilizing-the-palestinians_us_5977b680e4b0c6616f7ce5e9
@Dublin Northsider: Excellent article. All the Israeli hating Islamist sympathisers could do with reading it and learn some historical facts.
@Dublin Northsider: an interesting article, but I would suggest the author give some thought to a few other “stops”, eg stop barricading the people of Gaza in what has been described as the world’s largest open prison, or stop stealing land for new settlements in the West Bank in defiance of previous commitments, or stop stealing water for Israeli settlements while rationing it to Palestinian people. You can blame Hamas all you want, and they do seem to be a useless lot, but the idea that the Israelis, having left Palestine for 2000 years or thereabouts is like saying the Italians should reclaim Britain, or set up an ever expanding settlement there while abusing the native British with the sponsorship of the most powerful and wealthy people on the planet. We reap what we sow
@Noirin Kavanagh: Hi Noirin – I would ask that you post some links backing up what you say. Without meaning any offense, any discussion on Israel/Palestine can quickly descend into he said/she said and depart quite quickly from the facts.
As far as your Italians occupying Britain argument – you can come much closer to home and look at the actual occupation of the north of this island by protestants. There are some here on the nationalist side that felt/feel that those protestants should be forcibly repatriated to mainland Britain and that only catholics should remain in the north. Without getting into that argument – this kind of posturing on either side did little to resolve the situation peacefully. Unless you are advocating the destruction of Israel, which I don’t believe you are and it’s hard to argue for that without arguing for the destruction of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, every country in south america, Canada ….. and every other region of the world where people have been displaced, then any peaceful solution needs to accept that Israel is now here to stay.
I personally think it’s a pity that so many councils in Ireland – with it’s strong tradition of neutrality and it’s practical experience of conflict resolution in the north chose to take sides and fly Palestinian flags from town halls.
Indeed I assume that this trip is being organised as part of the wider effort to pressure Ireland into taking sides in the ME – however I chose not to criticise this effort because after all it’s children playing football.
@Noirin Kavanagh: Good post Noirin, I suppose you have noticed that the usual Hasbara are playing Good Cop / Bad Cop today. Some sound very cool and reasonable. Not the normally obnoxious insulting lot.
But don’t be fooled – they’re still the same.
You might be interested in these:
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/jonathon-blakeley-a-guide-to-hasbara-trolls.html
https://bdsmovement.net/
@Peter Higgins: Hi Peter. I assume you are implying I am a hasbara troll? (not really sure what that is)
Surely one of the cornerstones of anti-semitism is the belief the hidden jewish networks are in control of the media / banking system etc. That’s the conspiracy theory correct?
Now it seems to be your assertion that I can’t be an individual – that I must be in I assume cohorts with others – good cop/bad cop?
That’s kind of similar right – networks of jews manipulating things in the background. I’m not part of a network and I’m not Jewish.
It as ludicrous of you to suggest I am a hasbara troll as it is for me to suggest that you are a “hamas troll” and that are part of a secretive hamas organisation in the pay of some arab secret service. I don’t think that. I think you have an opinion. It’s not the same of mine. I won’t insult you by asserting that because you don’t agree with me that you are part of a hamas conspiracy.
You say
“they’re still the same”
Who are “they” – I won’t insult you buy suggesting that “they” might be jews. But “they” are certainly someone – and you seem to be suggesting that I am one of “them”.
Remember seeing footage of these kids playing the Irish boys, was kind of embarrassing as the Irish boys were all tubby lardos :/ and the Gaza boys just normal kids.
@lunadoran: poorer nations tend to be better at football. They are cheap and there are no game consoles or internet to keep them indoors.
Delighted to see he’s gotten over de drinking and he has his kids playing football. Top lad
Whenever an article concerning Apartheid Israel appears here I try to promote the peaceful non-violent BDS movement – Boycott, Divestment,Sanctions- because I believe the success of this movement will see Apartheid Israel so ostracized by the civilized world ( with the possible exception of Donald Trump ) that they will have to grant some civil rights to the unfortunate Palestinians.
https://bdsmovement.net/
@Peter Higgins:
Its a shame you always forget to mention its goal is the end of the nation state of Israel. Imagine supporting a campaign to end a country. https://www.adl.org/education/resources/backgrounders/bds-the-global-campaign-to-delegitimize-israel-0
@Honeybadger197: the Israelis already took over a country called PALESTINE.
@michael byrne: Really? What country was ever called Palestine?
@Honeybadger197: Nowadays I always try to attach a link to the BDS site.
The peaceful, non-violent goals are comprehensively outlined there.
@Peter Higgins: Thanks Peter! Once again unable to admit you support the destruction of Israel.
“BDS proponents often present their case to students in terms of peace and justice; however, this masks the real agenda of seeking to destroy Israel rather than simply improve the lives of Palestinians and help them achieve independence. The true aims of BDS are that they oppose a two-state solution or any other resolution to the conflict that would recognize the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in their homeland”
@Honeybadger197: ‘their homeland’? You know the early Zionists, including Jabotinsky and Ben-Gurion were quite open that they knew well that the Palestinians were the descendants of the ancient Jews who’d converted to Christianity and Islam. In the same way, modern Lebanese are largely the descendants of the ancient Canaanites (supposedly wiped out by the Hebrews, according to the Bible) and we Irish are still largely descended from the first pre-Celtic people of Ireland. Zionism is late 19thC proto fascist settler-colonialism that uses the long debunked myths and legends of the Bible and Jewish lore to justify the destruction and dispossession of the native people of the land
@Paul Devlin: Can you share those ” long debunked myths” and ” Jewish lore” please? Seems to me you’re saying there is no Jewish connection to the land. That’s laughable and a standard canard issued by the usual anti Israel crowd but I look forward to your response.
Whenever I see the Hasbara Trolls on here trying to justify the despicable behaviour
of Apartheid Israel, I’m reminded of the arguments advanced to William Wilberforce ( the great slavery abolitionist ) in defence of Slavery.
Daily there were reams of letters to the Times newspaper, extolling the merits of being a Slave owner and the benefits to the economy. There were even very forceful arguments put forward on the benefits of being a slave ???
This is not a million miles from what the Hasbara would have us believe how lucky the Palestinians are living in Apartheid Israel.
@Peter Higgins: It’s a pity that you have to use a happy story about some children coming to Ireland to play football to take sides on what is quite a complex issue – and issue that is not helped by taking sides (see the troubles in the north) or by misrepresenting the facts to suit a political agenda.
To try to be balanced, here is the wikipedia article on the BDS movement:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boycott,_Divestment_and_Sanctions
I would draw your attention to
“Critics of BDS vehemently repudiate the charge that Israel is an apartheid state, asserting, among other things, that in Israel (outside of the West Bank) “Jews and Arabs mix freely and increasingly live in the same neighborhoods…there is no imposed segregation” and that Arabs and Jews interact together in any mall, restaurant, or hospital in Israel.
Critics further argue that the BDS movement disincentivizes the Palestinian leadership from negotiating with Israel at present, is antisemitic, resembles historic antisemitic boycotts such as the Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses and that it is a form of anti-semitic anti-Zionism that promotes the delegitimization of Israel.”
@Dublin Northsider: How could any caring human NOT take sides in what is the most obvious of injustices.
Apartheid South Africa was such an injustice and the rest of the civilized world is now grateful that some took sides in its downfall.
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.
Israel is occupying and colonising Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law.
BDS is now a vibrant global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world. Eleven years since its launch, BDS is having a major impact and is effectively challenging international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism.
@Peter Higgins: Dress it up all you want. BDS is about ending Israel. That’s it only goal. The fact you can’t or won’t admit it, and hide behind an apartheid claim (that South Africans say is false and malicious) is very telling. Keep posting your nonsense. Ill be here waiting to counter link :)
Have a great weekend!
@Peter Higgins: Hi Peter!
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4171/bds-immoral
@Peter Higgins: I dislike any argument that starts with “How could any caring person not agree with me”.
It equates to “You are a bad person if you don’t agree with me”.
You then immediately follow this with Apartheid in South Africa – implying that I am a bad, possibly evil person – or at least uncaring – if I don’t immediately agree with you that Apartheid SA and Israel are one and the same.
Without meaning any offense (and believe me I certainly don’t) I find these kind of arguments manipulative and an attempt to shortcut any sort of understanding of the facts – and that they get in the way of securing a peaceful two state solution in the ME.
I’ve set out my stall – I don’t agree that Israel is an apartheid state – I think it’s one of the most tolerant and open societies (as much as it can be in the circumstances) in the world. I do think that the failure to apply any sort of criticism of Hamas perpetuates the unhappy lives of many people in Gaza – that happily these children are able escape for a while.
If you feel that Israel is an apartheid state then I would ask you to please provide (preferably independent – not a blog with a political agenda) links and references so that readers of The Journal can make their own minds up. Thanks.
@Honeybadger197: That institute is run by Zionists,have you no better back-up than that crap.Go back to your hasbara manual and learn more lies.
@Dublin Northsider: Sorry, that last post was in reply to you.
@michael byrne: lol. Poor old Michael. Unable to debate so thinks name calling will suffice. You might heed your own advice re learning.
@Peter Higgins: I assume you aren’t saying that wikipedia is run by Zionists? (that is the links I posted – and one to the huffington post)
@Dublin Northsider: Anyone with the right knowledge can edit a wikipedia link which is why wikipedia is not a reliable source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Tutorial/Editing
@Honeybadger197: What debate someone who promotes an Islamophobic site https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/gatestone-institute/ – http://www.alternet.org/investigations/one-americas-most-dangerous-think-tanks-spreading-islamophobic-hate-across-atlantic
@Robby Fenian Martin: Hi Robby. You might be better advised to look up Alan M Dershowitz and see if he’s into this ” islamophobia” you cite whilst ignoring the author and his message. Let me know how you get on.
@Honeybadger197: Oh Dershowitz, he’s such a peace loving humanist http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2014/10/05/white-american-men-and-the-liberalwashing-of-islamophobic-racism/
@Robby Fenian Martin: And he has no problem with Anti-Semites as long as they are Islamophobes http://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/alan-dershowitz-ludicrously-defends-white-nationalist-stephen-bannon-against-anti
@Dublin Northsider: i was driving from Jericho to Jerusalem one day. We came to a road checkpoint manned by Israeli soldiers. Jews had one reg plate and non-Jews a different colour. The queues were seperate according to your category. We, being in a UN vehicle, could use either.
It is my belief that those of us who care about the conditions of peoples lives in Gaza can best serve those people by having Ireland play the role of “honest broker” – building on the history of neutrality of the Irish state, it’s long role in peacekeeping with the UN and it’s practical experience of conflict resolution in the north.
And by working with all sides in the ME to secure a peaceful two state solution.
I think Ireland’s position and capacity to take on this role is weakened by flying Palestinian flags from town halls and by funding (via funds from Irish NGOs) organisations in the ME that call for the destruction of Israel.
(Or by participating in the attempt to attach the word “apartheid” to the word “Israel”)
(Or by lazy thought and assertions that Israel is “bad” or to conflate anti-Israel with anti-America/anti-neo liberal)
Ireland can best serve the people on all sides in the ME by remaining neutral and applying practical, dispassionate experience in conflict resolution and peace keeping.
I wish the visiting children good luck in their football games and happy memories in years to come.
@Dublin Northsider: Very true at this stage Ireland would be seen at least by the Israeli media …..as the most anti Israel country in the EU….
@John003: Or the most caring and Just in this case.
@Dublin Northsider: i beg to differ. Our job, as a post-colonial country, is to stand with the oppressed.
Any chance there’ll be a derby match?
@MaryLoonyMcDonald: i dont get it
Not a sports story. Fake news.
Hamas,or Islamic terror did not exist before Israeli expansionism. The anxiety and insecurity we all feel today is directly as a result of the unfortunate Palestinian “Nakba”.
I trust the opinion of a liberal Jew, born in Israel but renounced his citizenship ,will be acceptable as reasonable evidence of an Apartheid agenda in Israel.
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/jonathon-blakeley-a-guide-to-hasbara-trolls.html
Or, better still, read his excellent book ” The Wandering Who.
Thanks
@Peter Higgins: Hi Peter – I don’t have time to read his book (sorry). I had a look at the link you posted and it seems to be a guide to “what is an internet troll” (they are disruptive etc).
I’m not sure if perhaps you think I am a hasbara troll? Or perhaps that I am currently sitting in a basement in Tel Aviv tapping on my keyboard ? (joke). I’m not. I’m not Jewish.
As someone who would like to consider themselves independent in the Israel/Palestine argument – I don’t have a reason to take sides, it does make me really quite uncomfortable that the article you have linked to has
“Types of Jewishness”
as it’s second paragraph.
I’m not saying that’s anti-semitic (perhaps it is i really have no idea) but I have to say it makes be really quite uncomfortable and casts the rest of the article in some light.
It really makes me think of people measuring the width of people’s noses to determine jewish heritage. And yes I realise by the rule of the internets I’ve probably lost the argument by mentioning you-know-who.
@Dublin Northsider: Godwin’s Law ? God forbid.
Cheers
@Peter Higgins: lol
There actually is at least one girl in the group of kids, not that it even matters in the slightest.
I see irish4israel are’nt spouting their deluded hate – glad to see the kids are experiencing some normality
Hopefully none of them will be used by their political masters as suicide bombers and they can have a normal life
Do You know Hamas was created 20 years ago and Zionism more than 120 years ago, so who do you blame the Coloniser and the effect of the Colonisation.
Who came first IRA or English Colonialism Empire ? Question is there.
If the Journal Readers are Zionist Troll. there is UK Hateful Onlinenewspaper to comment and support.
have your say