Then, at the close of business on Thursday 28th January I received another call from the council - this time to invite me to a civic reception for the said ambassador, Zion Evrony, first thing the next morning. It appears that the Mayor of Carrickmacross Town Council, Mary Kerr Conlon, felt that it would be 'rude' to refuse such a request by a diplomat. Initially I gave Mary the benefit of the doubt. I thought perhaps she didn't understand the record of the Israeli government that Mr. Evrony represents. So I immediately called her and outlined the huge insult that such a reception would be to all of those people in Carrickmacross and further afield who are continually horrified by the actions of the Israeli government, particularly in the Palestinian territories. For some reason she wasn't for turning - she was insistent that the visit would take place despite the fact that she had no mandate from the council to host it.
Considering the short notice it is quite likely that Mary Kerr Conlon believed that there wouldn't be time for Sinn Féin to organise any sort of a credible protest. Thankfully she was wrong. A late night text message ensured that over thirty people were gathered outside of the council offices the next morning. Most of those people were from Carrick and many had taken the morning off work to attend. We were also grateful that a few people made that extra effort to travel. Fellow Sinn Féin Councillors Seán Conlon (Cathaoirleach of Monaghan Town Council), Peter Grimes (Castleblayney) and Sheila McKenna (North Monaghan) all came along. My staunch aunt Ann Kelly and her husband Tom travelled down from Dublin. I was also pleased that a former Workers Party Chairperson of Carrickmacross Town Council Francie O'Donoghue came along to show his support.
Suffice to say that Zion Evrony received the welcome he deserved. A dignified silent protest met him (and about 12 Gardaí who accompanied him) at the road adjacent to the council offices. Myself and Councillor Noel Keelan addressed him at the door of the council offices and informed him that regardless of whatever pleasantries the Mayor intend to greet him with his government were not, in fact welcome in Carrickmacross. I asked him to get in his car and return to his embassy. We then entered the council offices and made a formal, and perhaps heated, complaint to the Mayor and then left the chambers once more.
When the Ambassador was leaving we again informed him that the actions of his government were unacceptable to the people of Carrickmacross. We issued this statement after the protest.
Since then I am told that Zion Evrony wrote to my party leader calling on him to condemn my actions and those of the others who protested that morning. I don't think its a surprise that Gerry Adams did no such thing - Maith thú Gerry!
So then there was the political fall-out. Since the event I have received a fair bit of correspondence from Israeli supporters, mostly Irish. To give them their dues they are a committed bunch that will defend Israel to the last. Some of their comments though show a hatred towards anyone who does not agree with them that is unsettling. We've also had interesting media reports on the protest; This one is typical.
Carrickmacross Town Council met last Friday. I attempted to raise the matter and it took an almerciful shouting match with the Mayor before she allowed me to speak. I proposed that the page in the 'distinguished visitors book' which Zion Evrony had signed be removed. I further proposed that the council write to the Israeli embassy stating that their representatives would not be welcome to return to Carrickmacross Town Council until such time as their government acted in accordance with UN resolutions and International Law.
I was nervous about putting the vote to the meeting in case it failed to secure a majority and in which case the Mayor and her supporters would portray that as a vindication of her actions. However not to have a vote recorded in the minutes and to allow the page to remain in our visitors book would, I believed, forever sully the name and reputation of the council I am proud to have been a member of since 1999.
There are nine members of Carrickmacross Town Council. Obviously myself and Noel Keelan were going to vote in favour of my proposal. And I will be forever grateful to Councillors Catherine Martin and Kristina Jankaitiene of the Green Party and Padraig McNally of Fianna Fáil who all supported the motion. The other Fianna Fáil member, PJ O'Hanlon and the three Fine Gael members voted against.
But the motion was carried. Carrickmacross Town Council has redeemed itself and the Israeli Ambassadors' PR stunt has backfired - Zion Evrony has got his answer from our little town in South County Monaghan.
you are a hero!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you! If only more decent people like you would be concerned enough by Israeli barbarity to act the way you did. Israel is a rogue state and must be forced to follow international law. I raise my hat to you.
ReplyDeleteIt incomprehensible to me that Irish people who have had such a history of being terrorized by terrorists within their midst would not recognize the unfortunate position of innocent Israelis subject to constant threat of missiles from palestinain terrorists in Gaza. Committed to the destruction of Israel these murderers have little care for their families and neighbors who may be subject to a normal defense reaction that any of us would engage in to defend ourselves and our families. Your actions are a discredit to the Irish people and the Irish nation. Israel has been under attack since it was founded with the approval of UN, it was immediately attacked by twelve Arab nations numbering 160 million people when it had a population of 650,000. And that situation is unchanged. Surrounded by implacable hatred of hundreds of millions Israel has been forced to fight for its survival every day. To characterize them as an aggressor for defending themselves is to turn reason on its head. Max Roytenberg
ReplyDeleteTo Max Roytenberg:
ReplyDeleteEvery war, except the 1973 war in which Egypt initiated to regain the Sinai which Israel stole from it in 1967, was begun by Israel, including the 1948 war. Not satisfied with the UN partition which gave 59 percent of another's land to the Zionists who at that times owned less than 10 percent of the property in Palestine, the Zionist militants and gangs struck villages in the middle of the night, murdering and plundering, causing more than 750,000 Palestinians to flee for their lives. The Village of Deir Yassin on April 9, 1948, was a brutal massacre. See www.deiryassin.org.
Moreover, Israel did not destroy the civilization of Gaza last year because of rockets. It was Israel which breached the June 19th truce with Hamas with its military incursion on November 4 into Gaza, killing 6 Palestinians. It did not complain about rockets then. Why? It could not. There were no rockets, not a single rocket being launched against Israel. Check Israeli Intelligence Reports for that period.
Hamas itself stopped suicide bombing when it was elected in 2006 and also stopped itself launching rockets, but it did not stop nor encourage others to do so until it entered into the truce with Israel.
According to a joint study by Israeli Tel Aviv University and the European University, 79 percent of the ceasefires are caused by Israel.
Israel is starving the people of Gaza in its plan of slow genocide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Fox_(politician)
ReplyDeleteWow, Elizabeth, I am in utter shock as to exactly how mis-informed one person can be. Please, I beg of you, go have your sources checked immediately because not only are YOU, yourself completely incorrect, but you are also misguiding any unfortunate soul who reads your rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteTake it from someone who currently resides in Ashkelon, Israel, there are currently at least one or two sirens going off DAILY because of random missiles launched by Hamas, but you don’t hear about it because the media is sick and tired of reporting the same exact thing day after day. It’s not new, therefore it’s not news. Do you know what happens every single day? The missile is launched. We hear the sirens. We have to run under a shelter. We have to wonder whether our kids are still alive as they went to run our errands or return home from school. How would YOU react to this - ON A FUCKIN DAILY BASIS?!?!?
And please notice that I distinctly wrote “launched by HAMAS” and not “launched by Palestinians.” I, unlike yourself, can tell the difference between the two. You said “Israel is starving the people of Gaza.” There lies your most erroneous statement. The poor people of Gaza are starving at the hands of Hamas, NOT ISRAEL! Hamas is the one that uses the poor people of Gaza as their shelters to hide behind as they launch the missiles. Hamas is the one who takes anything and everything allowed into Gaza, away from the poor people of Gaza, and uses the supplies to make their bombs and shelters. HAMAS is the one hurting the poor citizens of Gaza, NOT ISRAEL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVIyUXJg3u8
Kennedy, you have serious reality issues accusing someone else of being mis-informed in the same breath as "The poor people of Gaza are starving at the hands of Hamas, NOT ISRAEL!"
ReplyDeleteAs this article shows, the world is gradually waking up to Israel, and all the horrors it harbours, your lies and/or misconceptions wash with less people every day.
Oh, and well done Matt!
ReplyDeleteOkay Aaron, quick question. What would you propose we do? Like tomorrow, when the sirens go off because some suicidal psycho who doesn't even appreciate his own life, let alone the life of others, decides to launch a missile, aimlessly into my town? And my sirens alarm, letting me know I have less than 60 seconds before the random missile lands? What exactly would you propose I do?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the Hamas ideology and commitment ? Read their unaltered 1988 Covenant on-line. Good trans at *Avalon Project*. It is 6 A-4 pages if you print it. Jihad the only answer - negotiation unthinkable - destruction of Israel - is that how SF achieved the Belfast Agreement ? Hamas are the destructive, vicious Arab version of *dissident* gangs we see here - and both have to be confronted and defeated. Every conflict has an irreconcilable rump - who are undoubtedly what Martin McGuinness rightly called *traitors* - but you cannot let the tail wag the dog. To ignore or excuse Hamas [and their Iranian arms-suppliers, funders and trainers ] is to side with them and betray all those in BOTH the Palestinian Authority and Israel wbo have the courage and vision to work towards a negotiated peace.
ReplyDeleteKennedy, how about stopping building settlements on (internationally recognized as) illegally claimed land in both the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and sit down and negotiate with the Palestinians on a peaceful resolution allowing them to exist in their own land. How about stopping/reversing the illegal wall that you are even today using to steal yet more land? I have many more suggestions that I'm sure you're equally uninterested in hearing but don't try to play the victim here, you are the oppressors, and the world knows it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not Irish but I'm proud that Ireland stands for justice. We need more similar actions in other countries that signify not what our Zionist infested governments want us to think but what the people really want our government to actually do about the problem that is Israel. The Irish have cause to stand proud. Perhaps others will follow.
ReplyDeleteMatt, thank you for posting this. Upthread, you were called a hero. I agree.
To the pro Israeli posters here: You have blood on your hands. Gaza, past and present, East Jerusalem, the rest of Occupied Territories, exemplify the word "terrorism". You can fool yourself all you want, but it won't fool the rest of us.
Aaron and fikkrya:
ReplyDelete1946: The British Mandate partitioned a piece of land consisting of what is now known as Israel and Jordan. They gave the tiny bit of land on the West to Israel and gave the land which was three times as big as Israel's to the Palestinians. The legal tender at that time was Palestine currency. For some reason, the Palestinians allowed Jordan to take over ALL of the eastern area - Now called Jordan. Either way, ALL Arab countries rejected this partition.
1947: The UN decided to split up the tiny bit of land given to the Jews into pieces again, give some to the Palestinians: Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Again, ALL Arab countries rejected this partition.
1948: Not only did the Arabs reject the partition, but on the day that Israel declared independence, ALL ARAB COUNTRIES ATTACKED ISRAEL! The armies of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq invaded the tiny new country with the declared intent of destroying it. Israel, the tiny new country, demolished all five of them.
Now, please, Aaron and fikkrya, can you tell me the last time in WORLD HISTORY a country was attacked by five neighboring countries, demolished all five of those countries, AND STILL ALLOWED THE FIVE COUNTRIES TO KEEP THEIR FUCKIN LAND?!?!?!?!?
Please. I'll wait. Share with me.
NEVER! THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!!!!! Except for Israel. Israel allowed them to keep their land.
Now tell me, do you truly think that "stopping building settlements on (internationally recognized as) illegally claimed land in both the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and sit down and negotiate with the Palestinians on a peaceful resolution allowing them to exist in their own land" will prevent the daily missile strikes? Do you truly think their hatred for Israel is based on land?
"Do you truly think their hatred for Israel is based on land?" - Yes, I do, and the fact that you believe you are owed praise for not stealing more shows just how deluded you are.
ReplyDeleteWow, after reading all of that, all you took was me believing that I am owed praise? No Aaron. I did not take the time to write that to get praise. I wrote that to let you know exactly how this all started - and it has absolutely nothing to do with land. The British Mandate, who owned that land, gave it (A LOT more of it than what Israel currently resides in) to Israel and over time, Israel has returned more and more of it to the Arabs - but they DO NOT want more land. They simply want the JEWS DEAD. That's it. Plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteWe have signed over one dozen treatises with all five of the neighboring states during the last 60 years, giving up more land - They STILL attack! They STILL send suicide bombers! They STILL launch missiles!
We have had thousands upon thousands of UN 'peacekeepers' create buffer zones to try to protect us, but every single time, they have been overthrown by these ruthless killers.
Even at the beginning, after they lost their wars, the Arab states starting ordering all 'Arabs' to leave Israel land. But, Israel, on the other hand, was allowing EVERYONE to stay. We didn't order ANYONE to leave. We were providing citizenship and careers and livelihood for EVERYONE - WE STILL DO TODAY!
There are plenty of Arabs living in Israel in peace with the Jews. We've turned a desert into one of the most blooming agriculturally and scientifically advanced countries in the world, all in under 60 years. We consist of 0.2% of the world's population. 0.2%. Yet, we are 22% of the world's Nobel Price recipients.
What did the Arab neighbors provide the "Arabs" who left Israel? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! They haven't provided them with anything. No citizenship. No support. No education. No livelihood. No means of survival.
Meanwhile, Israel has over, and over again, defended itself against unprovoked wars and retreated again, with the hopes of everlasting peace. Has it worked? No. Even once? No.
The Syrians launched missiles from the Golan Heights onto Israel's homes daily. Killed hundreds of Jews. Then they attacked us in 1967 with their army. We won again. We captured Golan Heights. The missiles stopped. The world promised Israel, "Give them Golan Heights back and we will protect you from the missiles." We returned Golan Heights. The missiles continued.
ReplyDeleteSuicide bombers walked from the West Bank into Jewish towns and blew up buses packed with kids DAILY! Yes, daily! The world promised to protect. They were, again, useless. We put up a security fence. The suicide attacks have stopped.
Three years ago, Hezbollah in South Lebanon was gearing up for a war. They were stockpiling Iranian missiles for months. We warned Lebanon. We warned the world. Again, useless. Unprovoked, for no reason whatsoever, they attacked our soldiers, killed five of them and abducted two of them. Why? Was that for land? We could have leveled all of Lebanon by air in less than three days. Did we? No. We decided to risk our own lives, be entering on land, so that we can try to save civilian casualties. 165 Israelis and over 1,500 Lebanese lost their lives. Why? For land? No - because that's what Hezbollah wanted. AND THEY ARE STILL LOADING UP WEAPONS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON TODAY!!! WHY? WE ARE WARNING THE WORLD!
Two years ago, Hamas in Gaza was bombarding us with missiles at a rate of 50 a day! We warned them to stop. They didn't. We warned the world to do something, they didn't! Again, we could have leveled Gaza by air within hours. Did we? No. Again, we decided to risk our own lives, be entering on land, so that we can try to save civilian casualties. 13 Israelis and over 1,300 Palestinians lost their lives. Why? For land? No - because that's what Hamas wanted. AND THEY ARE STILL LAUNCHING A COUPLE MISSILES A DAY FROM GAZA TODAY!!! WHY? WE ARE WARNING THE WORLD!
And Iran is building nukes while their President rambles about wiping Israel off the map. Is that about land? Is that about Gaza, or the West Bank, or East Jerusalem? And we are warning the world, again. Are they doing anything? No. But then when the entire world leaves us with only two choices: (1) Do nothing and die; or (2) Do something; We obviously have to do something. And that something will literally raise the price of oil to the world by 500% at a minimum. But is the world listening? No.
Because of people like you, Aaron, and fikkrya, and Matt.
More innocent people will lose their lives because of ignorant people like you.
Kennedy, I'm not sure if you actually believe the twisted interpretations of reality you have listed or if you are simply reciting the typical Israeli propaganda we have come to expect (which, judging from your constant references to 'winning', 'levelling' and 'demolishing' I suspect you picked up during your military stint).
ReplyDeleteThere's too much here for me to pick through but the half truths, double standards and blantent misleading that occur throughout your posts are clear to anyone in possession of the facts, e.g. when you refer to "these ruthless killers" are you just hoping that nobody hears the hypocrisy given the leader of your government opposition just stood up in front of the world and praised the successful murder (by strangulation) in Dubai (by Mossad agents, despite your policy of ambiguity on that)? I'm merely choosing the most recent sickenig Israeli act.
Rather than waste time picking through your flaws (which I'm fairly confident you yourself are aware of) how about demonstrating you are indeed well informed and give us what you believe to be the Palestinian viewpoint on Israel's occupation?
Kennedy, I can read the extremely biased, racist Jewish Virtual library as well as you. I have seen everything you present nearly word for word from other Zionists. And each time, the reliance on omission of key facts is obvious.
ReplyDeleteYou clearly have no understanding whatsoever regarding Palestinians, their culture or their real history which people like you aim to rewrite. You don't even understand the Arab world as a whole. I am not confident that this is anything but willful ignorance on your part.
I have no questions or challenges for you because I'm trully uninterested in your point of view, really its just so predictable!
Aaron:
ReplyDeleteAllow me to get this straight: you are going to justify the bomb that landed 7 blocks away from me about 3.5 hours ago because my country's political opposition leader praised the death of a self-proclaimed murderer.
So one politician's rhetoric = the approval of daily, random, un-aimed missiles being launched at innocent children civilians.
Smart.
Fikkrya:
ReplyDeleteAnd exactly WHAT key facts did I omit? Please enlighten me.
Go ahead, tell me what I don't know about the Palestinian history.
See, the problem is that you have something set in your mind which is not even based on facts, it is based on biased and unbalanced media reportings. And the worst part is that you're not even willing to open your eyes and ears for a moment to read/see/hear ANYTHING that goes against that thought in your mind, even when it's incorrect to begin with.
I'm not trying to argue with you or make you sound stupid.
Therefore, just tell me what key facts I ommitted and what I need to know about the Palestinian history and I will let it be ...
Kennedy, I'm beginning to agree with Fikkrya, debate is the only way to educate (both parties) but I'm not sure this particular debate is achieving anything.
ReplyDeleteThe question you decided to sidestep still stands, the Palestinian viewpoint of the occupation?
What 'occupation?'
ReplyDeleteWhat is being occupied exactly? The land the British mandated to us? The land the UN mandated? The land that we've won by right of war, but have returned time and time again?
Please elaborate on where is being 'occupied' exactly.
And for the record, one viewpoint I DO NOT agree with, whether it relates to Palestinians or not, or any occupation or rightful ownership, IS any viewpoint that condones the launching of daily, un-aimed launching of missiles upon peaceful, civilian women and children. And anyone else who condones such missile attacks should be ashamed of themselves.
Well I do not like diatribes all the time. It is a basic truth that Sinn Fein and a lot of their supporters are ignorant left wing idiots who have anti-semitic smears all over them. would you and your kind have protested if the King of Saudi Arabi went to visit Monaghan. He is responsible for murdering more people then the Israeli. What about the Aparthied wall between Saudi Arabia and yemen. No protests? What about the bombing of bases in Yemen by the Saudis. No protests?
ReplyDelete1,500 people killed by Fatah supporters in the West bank during the last 3 years. Yes, their own people murdered and tortured. No protests? Darfur. where are you? No protests. India expelled tens of millions of Muslims to Pakistan. No protests. Pakistan expelled millions of Hindus to India. Where is Sinn Fein on this? The wall between America and Mexico. Hundreds of miles of wall. Where are the Sinn Fein protests. Oh yes when jews were being blown up, that was all right. Now because of the wall, they are not being blown up so according to Sinn Fein, this is not good. Hamas wipes out all Fatah members of Parliament in the Gaza area and takes over full control and sinn Fein says this is the democratic way of Hamas. shoot, kill and maim is the rule of law for Hamas and Sinn Fein seemingly agrees with this. Can you explain to me what Sinn Fein now really stands for besides murdering British people and supporting terrorism?
Regrds agus slainte,
Martin O'Dabhais.
What 'occupation?' The land that we've won by right of war...
ReplyDelete... thus concludes this debate for me Kennedy. I'm only sorry I wasted my time trying to get through to your closed ears and mind.
Your attitude and that of those like you will ensure your problems continue and increase.
Aaron, I simply think you need to take a history class, that's it. And not a propoganda class. These arabs nations are not after land. Just think logically for a second. They have ALL the land. The little tiny bit of land Israel resides on is NOT the issue. They want anything other than a Muslim, dead. Plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can't just choose two words out of my sentence and ignore the rest. I said: "The land that we've won by right of war, BUT HAVE RETURNED TIME AND TIME AGAIN!"
Meaning:
(1) They launched missiles on us from this land; then
(2) THEY went to war with US; then
(3) They lost the war THAT THEY STARTED;
(4) We had control of the land in order to stop the missiles; then
(5) The world (including morons like you) said:
- "Please return the land."
- "Don't worry. It's just about the land."
- "It has nothing to do with religion. Just return the land and they will stop killing you for absolutely no reason."
(6) THEN WE RETURNED THE LAND AND THE FUCKIN MISSILES CONTINUED!
THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN HISTORY!
WHAT AM I MISSING?
PLEASE CORRECT ME!
Don't say stupid things like "Your attitude and that of those like you will ensure your problems continue and increase." It's not OUR attitude Aaron. It's the attitude of the world believing that THIS PROBLEM has ANYTHING to do with land occupation.
And, BTW, no debate EVER existed between you and I for you to conclude. A debate is when both sides have meaningful comments to input. You have not said one statement that has been backed by ANY facts. Only propaganda and ideas.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Respectfully awaiting, Aaron.
Here you go Aaron. THIS article pretty much sums up a little of what you're protecting: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8558022.stm
ReplyDeleteGo ahead. Protect them. Defend them.
They want to KILL one of your countrymen over a simple fuckin cartoon!!! NOT land. NOT religion. NOT revenge.
A FUCKIN CARTOON!!!!!
And you're sitting here, trying to convince, or excuse me, "debate," me on how Israel's policy causes these savages to act the way they do?!?
Wonder if you'd read this (not the entire op-ed). This guy obviously has been reading much better history books than the shit your jihadist friends have been feeding you. You need to pull your head out of your ass long enough to see the real world.
ReplyDeleteIrish Sun
Sunday 14th March, 2010
((Op-ed) Michael Devolin)
My father's ancestors (Develin) came to Canada during the Great Potato Famine.
My grandmother (nee King) of that luckless generation died on a ship in Kingston harbour, Ontario, Canada. My mother's maiden name is DeClair, which I suspect is somehow connected to the FitzGilbert de Clare line. And I write of this so as to inform my Irish readers that I do have a bit of the Irish in me - enough to know that it was not the "little people" nor the Wizard of Oz who caused Irish families like my ancestors to starve to death on the shores of Ireland and on coffin ships bound for Canada and the United States. For this tragedy I blame the British Empire. That's a given with me.
So let me say that I've always found it quite absurd that the Irish "nationalists" of the IRA and Sinn Fein insouciantly align their political protestations with those of the Muslims of Hamas and the PA while totally ignoring the ancestral claims of the Jewish people of Israel. If Irish nationalists and historians are willing to turn back the pages of history to where the British began their brutal conquest of Ireland, why do they have such a difficult time turning back the pages of history a little further, to a distinctly similar conquest of Jewish land and people by Muslim imperialists?
Just as the kings of Ireland (and in extension their subject peoples) were made to kneel in submission before King Henry II "in a specially built palace made of wattle," so the Jewish inhabitants of ancient Israel were forced to submit to their Muslim conquerors by paying a poll tax.
I find it difficult to fathom how those Irish nationalists, who are wont to remind the world of the historical victimization of good Irish people by British Imperialism, cannot empathize publicly with the Jews of Israel and the humiliations they have suffered at the hands of Islamic expansionism. Hell, if you're going to travel back all those years into the sins of the British Empire, why not go back into the sins of those Caliphates whose track record runs pretty much neck in neck with the United Kingdom in terms of brutality and cruelty.