Chair of Jewish Council of Ireland condemns silent politicians

People from the Israeli community in Ireland  gather outside the Embassy of Israel to Ireland, after Hamas carried out terror attacks on Israel on Saturday. 

The chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland has said it is “disgusting” that not all Irish politicians have condemned the Hamas attacks on Israelis.

Maurice Cohen said Jewish people in Ireland are “traumatised” following the attacks by Hamas last Saturday, many of whom have family and friends in Israel.

Some 2,500 lives on both sides have been lost in the conflict since the surprise Hamas attacks.

Mr Cohen said he can only hope that western governments realise “who they are dealing with” adding that different solutions must be examined to get back on a track of peace and reconciliation.

Maurice Cohen, chairperson of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland.

“I think it is appalling to the Jewish community in Ireland the way that some of our politicians refuse to recognise the situation and are basically backing Hamas terrorists,” he said.

“In the Oireachtas or the Dáil, some people just don’t get it,” he said.

Although saying the bulk of Irish politicians have condemned the Hamas attacks, he said it is “disgusting” that not all have.

Mr Cohen said it is impossible and too complex to know how the ongoing conflict will play out.

“Neither the Jews nor the Israelis have anything whatsoever against the Palestinian people. Their war is with the terrorists and consequently, peace can’t move forward while the leadership of the Palestinians is a terrorist organization and that’s something that Europe and America have to cope with,” he said.

Mr Cohen said Jewish communities outside of Israel, including those in Ireland, are concerned about their own safety, describing it as a “dreadful situation”.

Meanwhile, Palestinian communities in Ireland have also been left reeling after recent events in Gaza where electricity and supplies have been cut off.

Among them is Ashjan AlBarqi who left Gaza a year ago to live and work in Dublin and has not been able to visit since.

“My Mom and brother are still there right now and all my extended family is there,” she said.

The 28-year-old said she has “so many feelings” at the moment, scared for her family’s well-being with whom contact has been complicated in recent days.

Ms AlBarqi’s family are among the 2.3 million people in Gaza who have been impacted by Israel’s decision to cut off electricity and supplies.

Power supply

On Wednesday, Gaza’s only power station ran out of fuel and shut down, leaving only lights powered by scattered private generators.

Israeli energy minister Israel Katz said on social media: “Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single tap will be turned on and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home.” 

Ms AlBarqi said: “I was able to contact them [initially], then I lost contact because they cut off the electricity and the internet and everything."

She was able to make a call to her family on Thursday for the first time in days but the signal was poor.

“They’re fine for now, but everyone else they know there is not, everyone has lost someone, they’ve left their houses,” she said adding that she has not been able to contact her family since.

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The Israeli military has said it will operate with “significant force” in Gaza in the coming days and is calling on civilians to evacuate.

“I keep thinking the worst scenarios,” she said.

“It’s not just my family, I’m trying to reach out to friends I have there,” she said before adding: “They’re saying they have no water, no food and of course no electricity or internet. They’re being bombed 24 hours.”