Letters: It's time for Israel to listen to their own Holocaust scholars on what constitutes genocide
Significantly, Huckabee has also stated that 'there is no such thing as a Palestinian'.
In contrast to these political responses, prominent Israeli Holocaust and genocide scholars Amos Goldberg, Omer Bartov, Daniel Blatman, Raz Segal and Shmuel Lederman have all concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
According to Dr Goldberg: 'Other genocide experts who have reached this determination include Martin Shaw, author of the book What is Genocide?; Melanie O'Brien, president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars; and Dirk Moses, senior editor of the Journal of Genocide Research.'
When nations ignore the clear assessments of these scholars, they abandon both moral responsibility and international law. The cost of this silence is measured in human lives.
Terry Hansen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Dark times when a US ambassador is so bereft of tact on a nation's affairs
The diplomatic service of the US was once renowned and admired globally, mainly staffed by professional, patriotic men and women with enormous pride in representing their nation internationally.
Alas, the imbecilic statement by the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee ('Taoiseach hits back after US ambassador to Israel says Irish have 'fallen into a vat of Guinness' over Occupied Territories Bill', Irish Independent, July 17) shows clearly how absolutely bereft of tact he is.
His remarks on Irish legislation might suggest he is not a fit person to serve in any capacity representing the US.
As the late theologian Professor Barbara Holmes wrote: 'There are many types of darkness. There is the darkness of determined ignorance and hatred, impenetrable and smothering.'
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Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia
Catherine Connolly – a fine, honest parliamentarian – would be wasted in the Áras
Now that Catherine Connolly TD has launched her bid for the presidency, political commentators are beside themselves with excitement.
But given that it has been often said that 'a government is as good as its opposition', we must ask ourselves if it is politically wise to consign this standout parliamentarian to the Park.
The presidency is largely a ceremonial role with minimal impact upon public policy, where the most important function is to sign whatever act of parliament is presented to them, and where they cannot address the nation or leave the country without government approval.
In the Dáil as an Independent TD free from the constraints of party strategies and agendas, she has held the Government to account on many issues, from the provision of local health centres to the outrages currently being perpetrated upon Palestinians.
Almost alone she called out the national antipathy generated by our government towards those who, having assessed the available evidence together with their GP, concluded that taking the Covid jab was not for them.
She is admired for admitting in the Dáil that she was wrong in adopting left-wing party policy which insisted on zero-Covid before reopening society and the economy. Incidentally these are the same parties that she now needs to ensure her nomination.
Perhaps most memorably before the two failed referendums last year, she was one of very few public figures to call out the absence of legislative scrutiny, disingenuous claims, and the ambiguous language associated with them. We badly need Catherine Connolly's talent and skill set in the Dáil. She is too important to be confined in the Áras enclosure.
Gearoid Duffy, Lee Road, Cork
Planning pitfalls revealed in report, but can a better turnaround be achieved?
I note that recommendations of a report published on Wednesday afternoon last by the new Oireachtas Committee on Infrastructure have called for quicker decision-making as well as a less cumbersome planning process, and more trained construction workers.
The committee will also oversee delivery of the revised National Development Plan, which is due to be revealed next week.
There have been repeated complaints from industry and from utility companies about the lack of investment in areas – from transport to waste and to water treatment.
In last week's report, the committee said projects of national import shouldn't depend on windfall taxes like the Apple billions. If that's the case, it leaves me wondering where they believe this money will be found.
John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Thousands of schoolbooks are dumped each year, so free scheme seems a waste
The free schoolbooks scheme needs to be examined.
I've just returned from the recycling centre where I deposited a large number of Junior Cert books, most of which were in excellent condition, as pupils do so much work online now.
This is such a waste. Thousands of good books are sent to the bin every year. Surely this could be managed better and books could be re-used. Such a waste of taxpayers' money.
Donough McGuinness, Bray, Co Wicklow
EuroMillions family can toast their win with a very different kind of bread
In common with the €250m EuroMillions winners, I enjoy a ham and cheese sandwich. Mind you, the big difference is now is, the 'bread' involved in our different households.
Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin
Kingdom will rule and the 'Donegal boys' will be left sobbing after football final
With the greatest respect to Brian McDevitt, ('Donegal boys look to be unstoppable and brought tears to my eyes on Sunday, Irish Independent, Letters, July 16), the only tears he will have at the end of the All-Ireland football final will be tears of sorrow. An Ríocht abú.
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Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: War in Gaza is existential for Israel, we should have more nuanced discussion
The editorial and one letter gave credence to Dr Nick Maynard who is on record as stating that, despite extensive evidence to the contrary, he has never seen Hamas operating in his hospital. He has accused the IDF of playing a game whereby it shoots different parts of kids' bodies on different days. How likely is that? One of the first questions we all should ask when listening to evidence is 'cui bono?' or who benefits? In 2014, Hamas released a video instructing journalists and witnesses how to report on events in Gaza. It states 'anyone killed or martyred is to be called a civilian from Gaza or Palestine... Don't forget to always add 'innocent civilian' or 'innocent citizen' in your description of those killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza' In his letter, the usually balanced Rob Sadlier sees similarities between Sarajevo and Gaza. Important differences are that Serbs, unlike Israel, were not attacked. Indeed Israel forcibly removed its settlers from Gaza in 2005; residents of Sarajevo were not holding Serbian hostages; the Serbian armed forces (and the Nato bombing response) did not warn civilians to evacuate areas where bombings were planned. Every Gazan non-combatant killed is a tragedy, but to compare fighting against Hamas with the random bombing of Sarajevo is unfair. I am a long-term supporter of reconciliation and a two-state solution to this issue. I know that conscript armies commit atrocities in war and I am appalled by the statements of Israeli extremists. Since October 7, I have seen a large increase in international references to Éamon De Valera's letter on the death of Adolf Hitler. This issue is harmful for Ireland and I hope we can have a more nuanced discussion that does not feed accusations of antisemitism but also understands that for Israel, this is existential. Frank Devine, Kenilworth, England The Holocaust's lessons are being forgotten and hatred is rising once again The lessons of the Holocaust are searingly relevant today. It is dispiriting that 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, hatred and intolerance still lurk in the human heart. Language is used to dehumanise, demoralise and demonise others. People in Gaza are neither alive, nor dead. They are walking skeletons. The heart-wrenching images of children becoming wretched, destitute, with little more than skin covering their bones, should shame the world that prides itself on championing human rights and dignities. We must be fearless in resisting violence. We must never rest in seeking to create a fairer and peaceful world for all without exception. Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London Slaughter of innocents in Gaza shames all of us who watch on and fail to act Nothing disgusts me more than seeing the absolute slaughter of men, women and children in Gaza. Since the Israeli invasion, tens of thousands of people have been killed, 17,000 of them innocent children. Food trucks are only allowed in periodically, and the starving and besieged people are subjected to gunfire as they race to obtain sustenance in order to feed themselves. Recent reports suggest that many young boys appear to have been used as target practice. This is horrendous. As babies appear every night on our television screens looking like skeletons with a haunting look of death and despair on their faces, it should move the coldest of hearts in world leadership roles into action to alleviate their suffering instantly. But no, they talk and talk, but do not intervene in this total barbarism. The people of Palestine are ordinary human beings and as such should be protected by human rights law. Anything else is a dereliction of duty by their fellow human beings. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo President of Uruguay set an incredible example of selflessness and charity I would ike to pay tribute to a president who died a few months ago. President José Mujica of Uruguay held office from 2010 to 2015 and was described as the world's poorest president. He shunned the presidential palace and remained at home on his farm driving his tractor and his beloved Volkswagen Beetle. He shared his salary with the poor. He believed his lifestyle was normal and not exceptional. In his earlier life he opposed the democratically elected government as he firmly believed it was corrupt, clandestine, up to its eyes in backhanders and ultimately authoritarian. For his sins, he was arrested, banged up, shot six times but miraculously lived and was ultimately elected president. Noel Mannion, Clonbur, Co Galway We could secure energy needs for decades – but private profit trumps all I have been trying to avoid the news cycle while on holidays here in Donegal. However, a couple of stories did manage to catch my attention. Firstly the Oireachtas hearings on offshore renewable energy development and government subsidies for improving port infrastructure to facilitate it. Secondly, the upgrades to our national grid, which are to be paid for by a levy on energy consumers. If the Government invested around €10bn in a single, large, publicly owned offshore wind project, then profits from this could be used to upgrade both the grid and our ports. Belfast Port could be used in the interim. Furthermore, this would help secure our energy needs for decades to come and, once the initial investment is recouped, profits could be pumped into a sovereign wealth fund (as the Norwegians do with revenues). But, alas, there are no plans for anything like this. It does not even seem to form part of the discussion. No, just taxpayers' money being used to upgrade ports for the benefit of (oftentimes foreign) private corporations which will, in turn, exploit our natural energy resources. Paddy Sharkey, Kilcar, Co Donegal RTÉ should show due respect to counties in the camogie championship On Saturday evening I listened to the RTÉ Radio news and sport bulletin at 10pm. The lead sports item covered was the transfer of a player to Arsenal football club in Britain. Down the pecking order was a brief report on the Camogie All-Ireland semi finals played in Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. The O'Duffy Cup is the women's equivalent of the Liam MacCarthy Cup and should have been treated as such. Tom Cooper, Templeogue, Dublin
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
‘They don't want to end this war' – Israeli soldiers turning their backs on Benjamin Netanyahu
Just a few millimetres difference and he would have been killed, like six of his comrades were when they walked into a house in southern Lebanon last October, believing − wrongly − that it had already been checked for terrorists. 'It was a really horrible day,' the 26-year-old said. 'They opened the door, and behind the door were two Hezbollah fighters who immediately started firing with their rifles. Four soldiers died immediately.' Mr Fiener, a captain in Israel's 933rd Nahal Brigade, acquitted himself well, picking himself up and dragging wounded colleagues to safety as the battle raged for five hours. It was his destiny, having dreamt of becoming − like his father − an infantry officer for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) since he was a child. It is a role which carries elite status in Israel and has been the foundation stone for many a stellar business or political career. But he now chooses a different path. He is refusing to report for another stint of reserve duty and a potential deployment to Gaza, in disgust at the ongoing war that has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. 'When the bombing of Gaza started again, it became clear to me that our government wants to make this war as long as they can − they don't want to end it. I knew then I can't go back to serving in this war,' he said. Sentenced to 25 days in jail by Israel for refusing to serve, Mr Fiener is believed to be part of a growing wave of young Israeli reservists who feel they can no longer participate in their country's war in Gaza. The majority are not showing up to call-ups, either 'forgetting' to check their emails or pleading medical or family emergencies. Mr Fiener believes the images of starving children inside Gaza will mean fewer soldiers will turn up. Immense pressure has been building on Israel over the dire humanitarian conditions inside the strip, with aid agencies warning of mass malnutrition and widespread hunger. Mr Fiener's opinion on the futility of the conflict appears to be shared by a rising number of serving and retired senior officers who are turning against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war. General Assaf Orion, the former head of strategic planning at the IDF, said while there were clear strategic goals in the Israel campaigns against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, there was no longer any clear military imperative for the continuation of military operations in Gaza. It has nothing to do with Hamas and everything to do with Netanyahu 'In Gaza, I suspect that the strategic train of ends, ways and means was kidnapped by ulterior motives,' he said. 'I think the main reason for a prolonged war in Gaza is political expediency.' Eran Etzion, a former deputy head of Israel's national security council, was even blunter. He said: 'By now it has long been clear to most Israelis that the main reason the Gaza campaign lingers on is because of Netanyahu's political, personal and judicial interests, and he needs the war to go on in order to sustain and even enhance his grip on power.' Many believe Mr Netanyahu fears his government will collapse if the war ended as ultra-nationalist parties in his coalition would abandon him. 'That's the main reason. It has nothing to do with Hamas and everything to do with Netanyahu,' Mr Etzion added. Many believe Mr Netanyahu fears his government will collapse if the war ended as ultra-nationalist parties in his coalition would abandon him. If even some of the spate of leaks from Israel's security cabinet are to be believed, the scepticism is not confined to retired generals. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the IDF's chief of staff, is said to have argued there is little more to be gained by continuing the campaign − particularly without risking the lives of the about 20 remaining living hostages. Although degraded into a series of, in effect, independent guerrilla units, Hamas continues to fight amid the rubble, sending a stream of IDF body bags back to Israel. Mr Netanyahu insists Hamas must not just be broken as a military and governing force, but eradicated entirely, arguing at the same time that the best way to secure a hostage deal is to fight even harder. Israel's negotiating team returned home from Doha empty-handed this weekend, amid widespread pessimism that a deal will be agreed any time soon. Israel's reputation on the international stage is in crisis, with traditional allies such as the UK, France, Canada and Australia queuing up to condemn the escalating reports of starvation. Professional servants of democratically elected leaders, such as Lt Gen Zamir and those under him, are caught in the middle. This was perhaps best demonstrated this month by his opposition to a scheme of Israel Katz, the defence minister, to order the entire civilian population of Gaza into a so-called 'humanitarian city' built on the ruins of the southern city of Rafah. The military chief was reportedly anxious to protect his officers from potential complicity in a war crime, amid outrage that the zone – described by former prime minister Ehud Olmert as resembling a 'concentration camp' – could be a precursor to forced population transfer. It would also put his troops, who would ultimately police the perimeter and facilitate the entry of aid, under significant practical pressure. The military was further worried that Hamas would interpret the humanitarian city as a signal that Israel wanted to restart fighting after the proposed initial 60-day ceasefire, thus threatening a potential deal. The IDF leadership earned the ire of Mr Netanyahu by reporting the project could take a year and cost $4bn (€3.4bn). While the Israeli prime minister demanded a 'shorter, cheaper, more practical' plan, it is not clear whether the initiative will ever take place. The scheme may have been too much for senior generals, who are already deeply unhappy about the position their troops have been placed in under the new US-backed aid system. The UN accuses the IDF of killing more than 1,000 civilians near the new aid distribution sites in Gaza. According to multiple videos and witness testimony, crowd flow in and near these sites is extremely poor, and Israeli soldiers, who provide an outer ring of security for the American contractors, open fire if Palestinians come too close. The IDF has now captured 75pc of the Gaza Strip − the goal when it began Operation Gideon's Chariot, which started in May. Last week, it pushed into the town of Deir Al-Balah, the first time it is thought troops have deliberately sought to seize an area where intelligence indicated a high likelihood hostages are being held. The Gaza war is a long way past its culmination point Mr Netanyahu and his allies argue that leaving even remnants of Hamas intact in the strip would eventually precipitate another October 7-style massacre. They have so far rejected Arab proposals for an interim government to administer the enclave in the event of a permanent ceasefire. Gen Orion said: 'The Gaza war is a long way past its culmination point. 'Every military operation, like many human endeavours, has the rule of diminishing returns. 'At some point, great successes meet growing resistance and lose their efficiency. The costs rise and the benefits are lower. In Gaza, we are way past that point.' Although the true figures are closely guarded, some campaign groups and politicians believe the rate of attendance could be as low as 60pc. The majority are so-called 'grey refusals', who are people who plead medical problems, family issues or who simply go abroad during the call-up window and 'forget' to check their emails. Refusals on explicit political grounds are rarer but increasing, reflected in the growing number of public letters signed by reservists denouncing Mr Netanyahu's conduct of the war, and subsequent reprimands and dismissals. Accounts have emerged of officers frantically reaching out to reservists on social media, begging them to turn up, because their ranks are so depleted. At the same time, the acrimonious issue of Haredi conscription rumbles on, with Mr Netanyahu expected to give in on promises to force ultra-orthodox Jewish young men to turn up for military service. Mr Fiener's jail sentence was considered a relatively harsh penalty for refusal, given the maximum is 30 days. But he only served one night, as the prison was largely evacuated when Iran started firing ballistic missiles at Israel in June. Waiting to see if he will be recalled to jail, he believes the pictures and videos of what is happening in Gaza will further decrease the rate of call-up response. 'There are always a lot of people who are not sure if they are willing to go and every little thing can affect them,' he said.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: This may be the dawn of the clean energy era
Even five years ago, we might have looked at the head of the UN saying 'the sun is rising on a clean energy age' with the shining hope it deserved. It wasn't blind hyperbole last week. Some 90% of renewable energy projects are now cheaper than their fossil-fuel equivalents. A surge in solar adoption has been important, and the huge focus on low-carbon manufacturing from China has played a significant role. This should probably be seen as dovetailing with the country's policies around control of the materials vital for green energy. And yet, in the face of the continuing rise in global temperatures, the struggle to encourage accelerated adoption of EVs (bearing in mind the vast number of petrol and diesel vehicles still on the roads), and a US administration that is turning the clock back on renewable energy, one might almost see António Guterres's statement as a pyrrhic victory. Still, we could look at this in five years and comment on a remarkable turnaround. Guterres is right to point out that a great deal of energy insecurity revolves around fossil fuels, and so they are susceptible to the price shocks that accompany wars, invasions, and other geopolitical events. He said: 'There are no price spikes for sunlight,' he said. 'No embargoes for wind.' Let us look on his speech last week with the positivity it deserves. When it comes to hope, like the Irish phrase says: 'Níl sé marbh fós.' It isn't dead yet, even if it is a faded shade of what it once was. Real battles are for resources History might, to adapt Jacob Field, seem like one bloody thing after another, but it seems to have been an endless resource grab. For example, the ceaseless scramble for raw materials led to the carving up of Africa by European imperial powers in the 19th century and the same of the Americas from the 15th century on. Water is likely to be a future issue, but right now the flashpoints centre around things like rare earths (vital for semiconductors) and minerals that are essential for modern technology and green energy. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), subjected to what we would now class as crimes against humanity by Belgian interests in the 19th century, is as important to minerals as Saudia Arabia has been to oil. The EU has been working to secure contracts there. America, however, has been improving its position, attempting to capitalise on ongoing violence sponsored by DRC's neighbouring countries such as Rwanda. This as Donald Trump still harbours ambitions of annexing the mineral-rich Canada and Greenland, as well as securing a treaty with Ukraine that allows for US exploitation of its mineral wealth. All that, though, still leaves every country trailing well behind China. China, having spent the last few years greatly expanding its influence through its belt and road initiative, has extensive footholds in Africa now, between mining contracts and loans to fund infrastructure. It has mining operations around the world, and some 60%-80% of minerals — including cobalt (batteries) and uranium — are within its orbit. This has been seen as a security threat by some Western powers, and the thought is not without merit (even if some Western countries would do the same if they could). What if China simply cut off Western access to the minerals under its control? Or hiked all the prices? How long would existing supplies for advanced and everyday technology last? China has typically taken the long — some would say very long — view when it comes to economics. It may well be the manufacturing hub of the world, but that doesn't mean it couldn't simply outwait the countries that have outsourced their manufacturing industries to its cities. We live in a globalised world, despite the best efforts of some, and the phone in your hand or pocket with the cobalt in its battery serves as a reminder of just how delicate it is and how interconnected we all are. What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Making dreams come true When it comes to connections, despite our own travails at home, it is good that we, as a country, still remember that there are those with greater needs than our own. As reported by Imasha Costa in today's edition, there are now six children's homes in Sri Lanka that have been funded by Irish people. All are named after the towns that support them. Initially founded by Wicklow-Wexford TD Brian Brennan, these began in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that devastated swathes of Asia. They have since grown in number. While Sri Lanka itself has its dangers — Costa notes in a first-person piece that emigration is common, extreme poverty is endemic, and she herself was injured in an attempted robbery there in 2023 — it is something of a balm to know that there are oases of calm for children. The country faces significant economic and political challenges, yet some of the boys and girls who have spent time at the homes have gone on to bigger and better things. They are described as 'exceptionally talented … they have incredibly massive dreams'. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. Read More Letters to the Editor: Blurred line between right and wrong
