Solidarity with Palestine

Baby boomer said:
Gosh, I wonder. It is a bit odd alright. Perhaps there's something unique and special about the state of Israel that makes it a one of a kind nation. Some characteristic that's not shared by any of the other 200 odd states in the world. Whatever could it be? What is it about Israel's inhabitants that attracts so much negative comment? Would there be a history of singling out that type of people for special adverse treatment, at all?

Puzzling eh?
Click to expand...
There are a number of things that are 'unique and special' ( or at least highly unusual) about the state of Israel that makes it a one of a kind nation.

1. It came into being based on a decision of the UN

On 29 November 1947, the General Assembly passed Resolution 181 (commonly known as the UN Partition Plan for Palestine) which recommended the adoption and implementation of a slightly modified version of the UNSCOP majority Partition Plan, by 33 votes in favor, 13 against, and 10 abstentions, achieving the required two-thirds majority.[6] The resolution was rejected by the Palestinian Arabs; and all members of the Arab League voted against. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_and_the_United_Nations#UN_Partition_Plan_for_Palestine

2. Its laws grant and deny citizenship based on ethnic/religious background

3. It has property laws based on ethnic/religious background

4. Its economically dependant on western aid, thereby we as westerners are implicated in its achievements and failures.

5. It administers significant territory/population as an occupying force.


Oh and of course the key point it was brought into being to make amends for the Holocaust and the Nazi's treatment of the Jews, at the expense not of the Nazis nor the Germans but of the Palestinians.
 
Mackelmore statement following removal from Ed Sheeran tour

Very well said. Eloquent and respectful.

So much for the land of 'the free' and the much vaunted 1st amendment for 'freedom of speech'.

This is more evidence that America is captured by a billionaire class, censorship - corruption in politics, political assassinations, are all part of the 'norm' of USA now.

You would think that under US constitutional protections Mackelmore and Sheeran could sue the backside off those that delivered ultimatums on who can perform? It appears they have acquiesed to the demands of billionaires on account of the utterance of words like "Free Palestine".

I have no desire to see Israeli athletes or artists denied their opportunity to represent their country in their respective fields but as Ed Miliband referred to last week, British (and otherwise Western 'values') application of international laws and practices must be consistent, and seen to be consistent. Otherwise trust and reputation will evaporate.

Irish soccer athletes, and Eurovision participants are denied their opportunity to play in front of their home crowd and compete on account of the continued participation of Israel, a country whose leaders are cited for carrying out a genocide and ethnic cleansing.
 
'We are failing' - McEntee questions EU's Israel response

Well said Minister, credibility of EU "is gone" regarding its response to the actions of the Israeli government in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It's not lost on me that she is saying this in New York ahead of UN General Assembly, in the days after that saw Ed Sheerans tour placed in jeopardy by an elitist class. I feel sorry that Sheeran was put in this position by his billionaire "friend", but I don't sympathise with him for the direction he took. In my opinion, he should have stood up for the values of US, for freedom of speech, and told the billionaires where to go.

The important thing is that the backlash and polarization of opinion demonstrated in US and abroad has begun to register with the politicians that this issue is not going away any time soon.
 
Sister Sara said:
feel sorry that Sheeran was put in this position by his billionaire "friend"
Click to expand...
He should have checked out his support acts properly and ensured a clause in the contract that there would be no political statements. Too many music acts jumping on bandwagons to get their name in lights.
I went to some Culture night music events and it was great to listen to pure music .
 
JoeRoberts said:
Too many music acts jumping on bandwagons to get their name in lights.
Click to expand...

It tends to happen when there is a political vacuum of inaction. The famine in Ethiopia in the 1980's was propelled to the conscience of the people of the world in no small part by musicians. The campaign against apartheid South Africa, the same.

There was an outpouring of solidarity for Ukrainians following the Russian invasion, rightly, the political class acted promptly to provide refuge, sanctions, exclusion etc against Russia, hence no significant cultural protest movement.

As McEntee has said, EU credibility is gone on this matter - if political institutions do not act, then it is left to the people to mobilise in whatever way they can. Music, sport, are to the forefront of high profile avenues to do that.
 
I’m very easy on all this. I’ve seen media interviews with Bob Geldoff regarding famine(s) in Africa. He has stated on occasions much of the aid inspired by the musicians never got through to the people who needed it. The different military bodies intercepted food aid etc and what many of us were doing was supporting military conflicts instead of feeding the starved. There’s something wrong somewhere. I often wonder what percentage of aid actually made its way to those who needed it?

Does the fact that Rep of Ireland playing Israel in a soccer game mean anything one way or the other? I don’t think so. To any dislodged person in Gaza, I bet it doesn’t matter a whit. Even to me it doesn’t mean much.

Cast your mind back to 1845/1850 to the Great Hunger in Ireland. How much aid made its way from the Middle East to Ireland?
 
JoeRoberts said:
An altogether easy problem to solve when compared to Palestine. Not even comparable and would have happened anyway eventually. Just like civil rights in NI would have arrived with membership of the EEC.
Click to expand...

I bow to your superior insights on these matters.

Fancy a game of Snap?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top