FG councillor apologises for saying US economy is 'ruled by the Jews'

Another councillor, in response to the comment, said: 'I think we all stand against anti-semitism and it’d be helpful if she could withdraw that particular use of words'

The comment was made during a meeting of Dublin City Council to debate a motion calling for the passage of the Occupied Territories Bill. File photo

A Fine Gael councillor has apologised for saying that the US economy is “ruled by the Jews, by Israel” at a Dublin City Council meeting on Monday.

Kimmage-Rathmines councillor, Punam Rane, made the claim during a debate on a motion calling for the passage of the Occupied Territories Bill at the monthly meeting on Monday evening.

Ms Rane said that some countries are failing to take a stance on the ongoing invasion and assault by Israel on Gaza, particularly highlighting the US.

“Nobody is taking a stance. USA or America should have taken a stance,” Ms Rane said.

How many of you know the entire US economy today is ruled by the Jews, by Israel. They will never be able to take a stance.

Ms Rane said that, ahead of the US Presidential election next month, it would “cripple the whole US economy if they take a stance and therefore they’re afraid of taking a stance”.

“That will never happen unless and until the global powers that are emerging take a stance themselves and make [the] US take a stance, and that’s what’s happening.

“Why do you think there is so much of prolonged war, Russia and Ukraine, currently Palestine because nobody here is ready to take a stance.

“Therefore, I think we should take a stance and US has to take a stance in this case.” 

Immediately responding to Ms Rane, People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy called for her to clarify her remarks on Israel and the US.

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Mr Reddy said that Ms Rane’s remarks were “tremendously unhelpful”.

“I think we’re all here in solidarity of Palestine. To equate Judaism and Zionism is a complete fallacy, it’s wrong.

“I think we all stand against anti-semitism and it’d be helpful if she could withdraw that particular use of words.” 

In response, Ms Rane said that she did not mean to implicate a particular community, but stood by her overall remarks that Israel controlled the US economy.

Ms Rane said:

I’m just saying today, the US economy is ruled by Israel. It’s not wrong.

“What I’m saying is the US is not able to take a stance today because of their financial dependency.” 

However, the Fine Gael councillor has since withdrawn her remarks on the matter, with Ms Rane making a public statement on X earlier on Tuesday.

“I completely withdraw my comments made at last night’s city council meeting in relation to a motion on the Occupied Territories Bill. It was wrong and I fully apologise for it,” Ms Rane said.

The motion itself, proposed by Sinn Féin councillor Dáithí Doolin, calls on the Government to immediately pass the Occupied Territories Bill, following a ruling from the International Court of Justice earlier this year.

This bill would ban Ireland from trading with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.