Israel is not waging a war of retaliation against Hamas for the October 7th atrocities “whatever some politicians in this country might have us think”, Ireland’s chief rabbi, Yoni Wieder, said at an event outside the Israeli embassy in Dublin on Sunday.
Rabbi Weider did not identify to whom he was referring when speaking at a vigil held to mark one year since the Hamas attack in which more than 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage.
In November the then taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “something approaching revenge”.
Rabbi Weider said Israel has been forced into war with Hamas, “a terrorist organisation that is not only intent on murdering Jews and destroying Israel, but is putting civilians in harm’s way”.
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Israel is not waging war against Hizbullah in southern Lebanon “because it has some sort of chip on its shoulder, whatever a recent shameful cartoon in The Irish Times might have some readers believe”, he said.
Israel, he said, was waging war against Hamas and Hizbullah because it has the moral clarity to know that as long as their murderous ideologies remain influential, there is no prospect of peace.
“Every innocent life that is lost is a heartbreaking humanitarian tragedy, but let us be clear, the responsibility for the deaths and the suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza over the last 12 months lies squarely at the feet of Hamas.”
[ Ireland’s Jewish community ‘united by a longing to see peace’, says chief rabbiOpens in new window ]
The vigil, organised by the Ireland Israel Alliance, was attended by several hundred people and heard songs, prayers, and the reading out of the names of the 101 people still being held hostage by Hamas.
Among those at the event were Noel and Benjamin Porter, Jewish brothers from Germany currently studying in University College, Dublin.
Asked about being a student in UCD, Noel referred to the pro-Palestinian encampment there earlier this year.
“On the one hand I fully support the right to protest and the right to your own opinion. On the other hand, it is really tough to feel welcome when you hear chants like death to Zionism because I’m half Israeli, so it is death to me.”
Benjamin, the older of the two brothers, said it has been “a bit tough” to hear people he is studying with saying “death to Zionism, globalise the Intifada, things like that”, though he believes this comes from a vocal minority.
“It has been isolating at times, but you try and find a way. As Jews, you are always facing the prospect of marginalisation, so you learn to live with it. But it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Eithne Lalor, from Terenure, who had an Israeli flag draped over her shoulders, said she made some good Israeli friends in the 1970s and had been to visit the country more than ten times since then.
“I just feel the whole world is against Israel and it is just celebrating violence against them. I can’t believe it. A day after this atrocity people [could] turn around and celebrate Hamas, and murder, and it is only so many years away from the Holocaust.”
Asked about the civilian casualties in Gaza, she said there had been higher rates of civilian casualties when London and Dresden were bombed during the second World War.
“Hamas is hiding behind families, [building] tunnels around their bedrooms, their hospitals, their schools. They are creating victims really.”
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