The Jewish lobby appears to have a far greater influence around the world than their numerical strength would indicate. No-one dare say a cross word about Israel and its crimes without being accused of anti-semitism.
There are about 16 million Jews around the world with about half of them in Israel.
The world Muslim population on the other hand is about 1.9 billion but when Muslims are abused, and that is virtually every day somewhere in the world, there is very little outcry.
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Kneecap, which has attempted to highlight some of this injustice, is now being vilified by some who would support the continuing war crimes of the state of Israel. They include people like Sharon Osbourne and former Israeli paratrooper Uri Geller who would have Kneecap locked up if he got his way.
Those who denounced the October 2023 attack on Israelis conveniently forget all the precursors that led up to it that were perpetrated by Israel.
More to the point is that they at best ignore or at worst support the continued genocide being inflicted on the population of Gaza – most of those killed being women and children. Just days ago the UN said that they had run out of food aid due to Israel’s blockade.
Not only are Gazans dying of starvation but we know that Israel also during its retaliation against Gaza restricted water supplies. Hospitals, schools, refugee camps, nowhere has been spared from Israeli attacks and whatever Hamas inflicted on Israel in 2023 pales into insignificance to the war crimes carried out by Israel, stooping so low as to execute medics on their way to help injured people and using bulldozers to create mass graves.
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Israel has breached all the norms of international law and has been supported in its genocidal actions most enthusiastically by the US but also by Britain and other European countries who like to suggest they are democratic and abide by international and domestic law.
It’s a pity we don’t have more people like Kneecap who are to be commended for speaking out against Israel’s excesses.
Seán O’Fiach
Belfast BT15
