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Extra.ie
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
US Israel ambassador's tweet slammed by Taoiseach
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has rejected comments by the US ambassador to Israel, who asked whether Ireland had fallen into a 'vat of Guinness' over the Occupied Territories Bill. Mike Huckabee made the derogatory remarks this week, accusing Ireland of 'diplomatic intoxication' and calling on the nation to 'sober up'. But his comments have drawn the ire of both the Taoiseach and prominent Irish politicians, who labelled it 'xenophobic' and 'anti-Irish'. In his full remark on social media, Mr Huckabee wrote about the Occupied Territories Bill: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up, Ireland! Call @IsraelMFA & say you're sorry!' US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Pic:) Mr Huckabee tweeted an article from the Jerusalem Post, which highlighted the Foreign Affairs Oireachtas Committee hearing earlier this week, which addressed the passage of the Bill. His remarks came as a series of high-profile American politicians also ramped up warnings to Ireland about its pro-Palestinian position, saying that it may be a danger to the Irish economy. There is now growing concern within the Irish Government that Ireland may be targeted by the US administration for its overtly pro-Palestinian stance. In the last week, articles have appeared in US publications, such as The Hill and The Wall Street Journal, criticising the Irish legislation. A number of senior US politicians have now publicly attacked Ireland for its position. Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins However, Micheál Martin criticised the tweet by Mr Huckabee, remarking: 'I reject the comments made by the ambassador.' He added: 'The situation is very serious in Gaza, including an appalling loss of human life. 'Terrible war crimes are being committed. Ireland has consistently condemned Hama,s and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass. Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward.' contacted both spokespeople for the Taoiseach, asking Mr Martin to comment on the anti-Irish nature of Mr Huckabee's comments, but did not receive a further reply. Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire. Pic: Leah Farrell/ Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said Mr Huckabee's comments were 'absurd, plainly xenophobic, and plainly intended to provoke. It leans into old tropes of the drunken Irish. It is quite bizarre that he assumes the only reason for having a different position from his administration is intoxication,' he said. 'Unfortunately this is not out of character, Mr Huckabee has a history of controversial comments, and is someone who does not believe in a two-state solution. His comments are wrong, but more worrying is the fact that a man who has such views as Mr Huckabee carries influence within the US administration, and what that says about US policy in the Middle East.' Mr Huckabee is staunchly pro-Israel, and in an interview in 2017 with the CNN news network, he said: 'There is no such thing as a West Bank. It's Judea and Samaria [the territory's biblical name]. There's no such thing as a settlement. They're communities, they're neighbourhoods, they're cities. There's no such thing as an occupation.' US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Pic:) He has gone as far as to question Palestinian identity. During his 2008 Republican presidential campaign, he said: 'I need to be careful about saying this, because people will really get upset – there's really no such thing as a Palestinian.' Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats justice spokesman, said that the comments about Ireland were 'xenophobic' and 'anti-Irish', adding that the Irish-American vote should be asked to push back at Mr Huckabee. There have been several comments about Ireland's position from senior US politicians in the last 48 hours, in what looked like a coordinated move by senior Republicans against the Bill, which seeks to ban the import and sale of goods and services from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats justice spokesman. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Senator Lindsay Graham, a significant political ally of Donald Trump, tweeted: 'I hope that Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel, as they are in a fight for their very existence. I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States, and they certainly would not go unnoticed.' Congressman Mike Lawler said: 'Ireland's draft BDS [Boycott, Divest and Sanctions] law is reckless and sets a dangerous precedent. Targeting Israel won't bring peace, and will only reward extremism. Ireland should reject this misguided legislation and stand against hate.' Congressman Josh Gottheimer wrote: 'Ireland's proposed legislation targets Jewish communities by singling out settlements tied to Israel. American companies with a presence in Ireland who complied with [it] would violate US anti-boycott statutes and face penalties in the US. America will continue to stand with our ally.' While Congressman Andy Ogles wrote: 'Ireland's proposed ban of Jewish-made products is nothing short of anti-semitic. This proposal not only harms American businesses but undermines the very principles of Western civilisation. I vehemently oppose this decision and urge Ireland to reconsider.' Congresswoman Lisa McClain tweeted that the Bill was 'extreme anti-semitic hate' while Rick Scott, a Republican senator from Florida, said Ireland should think twice about the message they're sending by passing this bill'. Daniel Mulhall, the former Irish Ambassador to the United States, said that Ireland could not expect a 'free lunch' for its position on Palestine in relation to how American politicians, particularly, Republicans, viewed the issue. Mr Mulhall pointed out that Mr Huckabee is a politician who became an ambassador. 'He expresses himself more like the politician he was, than the ambassador he is,' he said. Mr Mulhall said the comments were 'extreme and over the top' but they 'point to a strong set of opinions across the political world, particularly in the Republican side of the house about Israel, which means we have to be conscious that when we do things related to Israel and the Middle East, it's not a free lunch'. 'It doesn't mean we do nothing, but we should bear in mind that opinions can be perceived as hostile and to be anti-Israeli.' 'We can't ignore the reality that some of the positions we may be about to take go down very badly in the United States.'
Glasgow Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Who are Apprentice Boys of Derry who march in Glasgow this week?
The Apprentice Boys of Derry originates, and is based in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It has eight 'parent clubs' that have 'branch clubs' in Scotland, with several in Glasgow, England, the Republic of Ireland and Canada. It is a Protestant, loyalist organisation with an estimated 10,000 members worldwide. Its stated aim is to commemorate the siege of Derry in December 1688 when 13 apprentice boys closed the city gates to the troops of King James II. READ NEXT:9 loyalist parades in Glasgow on Saturday - all the roads affected The siege lasted until the following July, with thousands dying from starvation. Until today, the organisation marks both the 'shutting of the gates', sparking the beginning of the siege where the loyalist 'no surrender' slogan originates, and the 'Relief of Derry' when the siege ended. The organisation is separate from the Orange Order but some people are members of both. ABOD members wear crimson coloured collarettes. The organisation says it is a 'Christian, historical and cultural organisation, committed to maintaining the spirit of courage and liberty displayed by the Defenders of Londonderry in 1688-1689.' READ NEXT:'Don't blame us': Taxis hit back in Glasgow city centre transport row In November last year, the Apprentice Boys of Derry Bridgeton had a march halted by police when it was met by protesters attempting to stop in passing a catholic church. The protest centred around St Alphonsus Church in London Road, where in 2018 the priest Canon Tom White was spat on by a man following an Orange Order parade. Call it Out, campaigners against anti-Irish racism and anti-Catholic bigotry said the march was anti- Catholic and was intended to intimidate Catholics. Several of the Glasgow branches are holding marches this Saturday in the city.
Telegraph
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Steve Borthwick's selection call could cost Marcus Smith a Lions place
Every Six Nations fan who is not Irish will be hoping that the French have the wherewithal to win in Dublin next Saturday. That is not anti-Irish sentiment, it is a natural desire for the excitement around the tournament's title challenge to go right to the last round. Should the Irish win, they would still have to beat Italy in Rome, but by that point their goal will be a Grand Slam, and their momentum would likely prevail. The players will have the same desire but those from England, Scotland and Wales will have an additional motive for wanting the battle to continue to the final whistle of the final game. This is a British and Irish Lions year and, whether you can prove it or not, their natural suspicion is that an all-conquering Ireland side is likely to edge all the marginal decisions when it comes to getting on the plane to Australia in June. Over the years, I have had the chance to discuss the way that selections work with various Lions managers and coaches and each tour is different. However, there are some points which all of them mentioned as being difficult to deal with and one of those is how you weigh what you see during the tournament and your thoughts about players pre-tournament. How do you balance the maxim 'Form is temporary, class is permanent' against what is accepted as common wisdom that you must pick players on form? Do you favour an outsider's decent performances in a successful side over a previously favoured player who might have been unable to play because of injury? Does a good display in a poorly performing team show a player's talent or does it just mean that he stands out against a lower benchmark? Has Borthwick compromised Marcus Smith's Lions prospects? If we go to a few specifics, we need look no further than the looming selection conundrum around the fly-half position. If you wanted a less in-depth look at this issue, you could simplify it to: ' Steve Borthwick costs Marcus Smith a Lions place' – a harsh but technically true viewpoint when you consider the following. Before the tournament started, based on past performances and the form shown in the most recent Autumn international series, most people would have had Smith as one of the three fly-half choices, with an outside possibility of him starting over Finn Russell. There was no consensus over Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley and Fin Smith, who most thought would scrap it out for the third No 10 slot. If it turns out that Ireland win a slam and England take second place, there is a good chance that Marcus Smith – now England's full-back – might lose out altogether, with both Prendergast and Fin Smith being taken Down Under. Fan forums chatter is very much instant reaction to the last thing seen and the fact that Marcus Smith was England's most creative force last year will be forgotten. The fact that he was considered the more versatile player and thus was moved to cover the absence of George Furbank will also be forgotten. A top-two finish might tempt Andy Farrell to overlook the fact Fin Smith and Prendergast are still quite young and their experience is limited. There is no real doubt that both have talent, but we have yet to see whether this is capable of being sustained over time. Farrell and his selection panel must carefully consider whether it would be the right decision to take two 22-year-olds in such a pivotal tactical position. Neither player will have more than 11 caps and Farrell has to be sure he can cover a situation where Russell is ruled out of a Test for whatever reason. We will have no way of knowing if this turns out to be the case, but it would be ironic if Farrell were to prefer Marcus Smith over either his England namesake or Prendergast because he wants a player who can cover both 10 and 15 from the bench. The one other common comment about selection dilemmas concerned injuries. Sometimes it is better to miss losing games, but that depends on you having the reputation in the first place. Sione Tuipulotu is probably safe, but Furbank is going to have to do outstanding work for his club, Northampton, to get over the line and that presupposes that Farrell is willing to take into account post-tournament form in his decisions. So, let us hope that the fourth round of this year's competition continues to excite and is better officiated than the third. Although there have been no egregiously poor performances, I think the standard in the tournament thus far has not been much better than average.
