Chief Rabbi challenges people to look at the ‘bigger picture’

Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder says that the ‘ratio of civilian to terrorist casualties’ is very good compared to other wars

Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder says that 'time and again' Israel are willing to make concessions 'for the sake of peace'. Picture: Taryn Barling

While welcomed by many, Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state this week was an emotive and unwelcome move for Jewish people in Ireland. 

The October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel have sparked an “ongoing traumatic period”, according to Ireland’s Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder.

The recognition of the state of Palestine, which saw the Palestinian flag raised outside Leinster House, comes at the wrong time according to Rabbi Wieder — who is clear to point out that the Israeli flag was not flown after October 7.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Rabbi Wieder said the Jewish community “feels huge pain and anguish over every innocent civilian life that’s the lost.”

“When we see the images coming out of Gaza, we feel the same pain,” but “we just see that as the responsibility of Hamas”.

Strongly supporting the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, he says: “I think if you look at, if you compare the ratios of civilians to terrorists casualties in this war, it’s a very good ratio compared to other wars historically.

“So there definitely are things that Israel could have done better, but overarchingly, yes, it’s the responsibility of Hamas.”

Israeli soldiers drive a tank near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, on Wednesday. Picture: Tsafrir Abayov/AP

The Israeli Defence Force has previously stated that, for every one Hamas militant killed, two civilians have also died.

Aid agencies and political leaders, including Tánaiste Micheál Martin, have been strong in their condemnation of Israel for preventing independent observers and media into Gaza.

We may have to wait until “the dust settles”, as Rabbi Wieder puts it, to uncover all that has gone on in the enclave over the past seven months.

Palestinian authorities say 36,200 people, an overwhelming majority of them women and children, have now been killed in Gaza.

Rabbi Wieder says when people move to so-called “safe areas”, Hamas has followed.

“They moved to places where Hamas then went, and then again hid behind them, what Hamas is doing to their people — the Palestinian people — is horrific.

“It’s often portrayed as if there are heroes and villains, and the Israeli regime is the evil apartheid, genocide regime, and that is such a gross oversimplification. It’s almost comical to hear it depicted that way.”

Rabbi Wieder understands that some people may not accept his view.

“At the end of the day, we’re creatures of emotion. We see pictures coming out of Gaza, the bloodshed, and of the people dying, and that pains us deeply.

“I would challenge them to try to look at the bigger picture, and try to hear the other side of the story.

“If I was only seeing the images that are being shown on Irish media or on social media platforms, I would think the same way. It’s only because I’m aware of the context and I’m looking at the bigger picture that I see through this lens.”

It is put to him that the only images now being shown are of Gaza, because this is where the daily bombardment continues to kill civilians.

In response, he stresses that Israel has shown “time and again that they are willing to make concessions for the sake of peace”.

“I think it would be fantastic if politicians, whether it’s here or elsewhere, gave constructive advice to Israel on what they think they can do to further minimize civilian casualties.

“If Irish politicians or politicians anywhere have better ideas ... to keep the civilian casualty ratio lower, then Israel would welcome and appreciate that.

“What would happen if tomorrow Israel laid down its weapons? Hamas would carry on bombing, would carry on bombarding. They would run across Israel’s borders again and do what they did in October 7, but a lot worse,” the religious leader says.

At a rally in Dublin over the weekend, Rabbi Wieder doled out strong criticism of President Michael D Higgins. The President had denounced as “irresponsible” claims made by the Israeli ambassador about the level of antisemitism in Ireland.

Encouraging fear amongst the Jewish community in Ireland is “deeply irresponsible”, and is simply a “PR exercise” by an administration that is guilty of breaching international law in Gaza, the President has told the Irish Examiner.

“I think the Israeli ambassador has been deliberately suggesting that all people of Jewish belief are now at risk and are being threatened, and there is no evidence for this,” President Higgins said.

However, the newly appointed Chief Rabbi, who is originally from London, says Jewish people in Ireland feel anxious at the moment.

“A lot of Jews who have gone out identifiably as Jewish have had people shout things on the street at them such as ‘Free Gaza’ or ‘Zionists out of Ireland’, and similar things to that effect, maybe a little bit less polite.

“Online the rhetoric is worse,” he said, stating that many social media post incite violence.

Perhaps adding to the feeling of being isolated is the fact that the Jewish Community in Ireland remains relatively small.

There are around 2,000 Irish Jewish people whose families now go back eight or nine generations, having come here predominately from Russia and Lithuania.

However, in recent years there has been somewhat of a “renaissance” and the community has been bolstered by more than 1,000 Jewish people.

“It’s been an interesting challenge to the community to integrate the transient families that are moving and newcomers with the old established families. But actually, the community has done that really well.”

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