The Three Most Antisemitic Countries in the EU Recognize the ‘State of Palestine’

Ah, the shock of recognition. The three most antisemitic countries in the EU — Ireland, Spain, and Norway — announced on May 21 that they were recognizing the “State of Palestine.” What exactly this means no one really knows. What will be the borders of this “State,” and how will its two constituent parts — Gaza and the West Bank — be linked, and will “Palestine” have an army or be demilitarized? Will the half-million Israeli Jews now living in the West Bank remain, or will the new state insist on expelling them? These and many other momentous matters remain undiscussed. Recognizing this “State of Palestine” takes us no closer to answering these essential questions, so how can we take seriously the “recognition” of a state whose territory, demographic makeup, and military strength are all still to be determined?

The leader in this malign effort has been Simon Harris, the Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, of Ireland. More on his unsympathetic attitude toward Israel can be found here: “Irish PM Reiterates Intention to Recognize Palestinian State This Month, Says He ‘Abhors’ Israeli Actions in Gaza,” Algemeiner, May 21, 2024:

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris has reiterated his government’s intention to formally recognize a Palestinian state by the end of the month.

Ireland will “recognize the state of Palestine this month,” Harris told members of the Irish parliament this week without specifying a date. “We obviously hope to do so with some other countries.”

The comments came after Harris made a similar promise on Sunday during Ireland’s annual National Famine Commemoration.

“What I can tell you is that it is absolutely our intention to recognize the state of Palestine this month and there is not that long left in this month,” he said.

“The specific date will be decided in the coming days,” Harris added, explaining that “there is important sequencing that our country and other countries have to carry out. I mean political processes that have to be followed, and they differ slightly from country to country.”…

Yes, the Great Day fell on May 21, which is when the three horsemen of the Apocalypse — Ireland, Spain, and Norway — recognized “Palestine,” no doubt feeling very proud of themselves for being in the forefront of progressive politics worldwide.

This action changes absolutely nothing on the ground.

Harris was responding to outcry among members of Ireland’s parliament who objected to the presence of Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, at the famine commemoration….

Has the anti-Israel animus become so pronounced, that members of the Irish Parliament object to the mere presence of Israel’s ambassador, who had hoped, in a sign of respect, to attend the commemoration of the Irish Famine? Yes.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday teased his plans to recognize a Palestinian state.

Specifically, Sanchez said in an interview with TV channel La Sexta that on Wednesday he would announce the date on which Madrid, along with other countries, will recognize a “State of Palestine.”

Similar to his Irish counterpart, Sanchez said he would only recognize a Palestinian state in a joint action with other countries and denied reports that the recognition would occur on May 21.

Sanchez denied the recognition of “Palestine” would occur on May 21; a day later — on May 21 — he did exactly that. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

Israel has warned European countries that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would effectively amount to a “reward for terrorism” that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the conflict — a point echoed by Netanyahu last week….

Of course this recognition is a “reward for terrorism.” Before the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, no country in Europe had plans afoot to soon recognize a state of Palestine. But now, because Israel responded so strongly in defense of its state and its people, three states, unsympathetic to the IDF’s effort, and apparently indifferent to, or dismissive of, the IDF’s tremendous efforts to minimize civilian casualties, have decided to recognize the state of Palestine.

There is so much we could say about the increase of antisemitism at the popular level, and the anti-Israel attitudes of so many of Europe’s highest officials, but let us limit ourselves, for now, to a look at Irish Prime Minister Harris, who has repeatedly said that he “abhors” what Israel has done in Gaza.

What exactly has the IDF done in Gaza? Israel did not start the war in Gaza; it did not want the war in Gaza. The IDF was only defending the people of Israel after the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7. Let’s remember that day: 3,000 Hamas operatives smashed into Israel on that day. They burned children to death. They raped, tortured, mutilated, and murdered young girls. They sliced off the breasts of women, and used them to play catch. They cut off the genitalia of men. They gouged out the eyes of both men and women. Then they took 260 men, women, and children back to Gaza, to be held as hostages. More Jews were killed on that day than at any time since the Holocaust. That’s why the IDF went to war.

Why does Harris “abhor” what Israel has done?

Does he “abhor” the fact that the IDF has conducted a tremendous campaign to warn Gazan civilians in Gaza away from areas, and from buildings, that are about to be targeted? Does he “abhor” the fact that the IDF sent 15 million messages, made 16 million prerecorded calls, made 100,000 personal phone calls, and dropped 9 million leaflets, all of them with one purpose: to minimize civilian casualties?

The Taoiseach apparently does not “abhor” Hamas’ practice of hiding both its fighters and its weapons in and among civilians, hoping thereby to increase civilian casualties among the Gazans.

Does Prime Minister Harris “abhor” the practice by Israeli pilots who routinely call off missions if they detect too many civilians in the area of the target?

Does the Taoiseach “abhor” the IDF for building eight field hospitals in Gaza to care for, and offer succor to, wounded Gazans?

Does the Taoiseach “abhor” the IDF for taking some Gazans with the most serious injuries back to Israeli hospitals to be treated?

Does the Taoiseach “abhor” Israel for trying to obtain the release of its hostages, knowing full well that Hamas has been murdering them, with at least 40 of the 129 captives believed to have been killed?

Finally, is there anything that the Taoiseach “abhors” about Hamas that he would like to tell us about?

No? Nothing? I was afraid he’d say that. Idjit.