Ireland, A Bourgeois Circus (Part III): Palestine
It is well known across the world that the Irish people show solidarity with the people of Palestine, who are being subjected to a genocide by their Israeli occupiers. We both share a history of being oppressed by colonisers, the Irish were colonised by the British, the Palestinians today by the Israelis. However the Irish Government is less fervent in its solidarity with the Palestinian people. As I have discussed in previous articles, our Government always takes profit into account first. What do you think is most profitable for the ruling class? Supporting the oppressed in Palestine or continuing to allow Israel to raise money from bonds? Obviously the latter. While Ireland may be praised for its recognition of Palestine or any other display of so called solidarity, it is important to also look at what our Government is doing to continue to support Israel.
The most recent example that comes to mind of the Irish Government continuing to indirectly show support for Israel is its refusal to pass a bill proposed by the opposition to ban the Central Banks from having any involvement with Israeli bonds. This vote happened shortly after the politicians had been informed that Israel had raised approximately €130 million from bonds approved for trading in European markets by the Central Bank of Ireland. Of course to the surprise of no one, the majority of TDs (Teachta Dála, member of Irish Parliament) who voted in opposition to the bill were of the two main parties and coalition partners, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
This ultimately shows that when profits for the ruling class are put at risk, the Government is ready and completely willing to put a temporary pause on their "solidarity" with the people of Palestine.
The Irish Government, particularly FF and FG knows that the people of Ireland overwhelmingly support the people of Palestine and would almost definitely face defeat at the next election were it to support Israel in any direct ways and therefore to appease the Irish public it will put on a façade of support only to secure its power. But this defeat of a motion that would add to the strain put on Israel where it really matters, (the wallets of the ruling class) shows the Government is willing to hop on any opportunity to support Israel.
I'm not sure if there are many or any people from Ireland who will read this article, but in the hopes there is at least one, I would like to say this: we cannot continue to allow the same two parties dominate our country. They have shown repeatedly that they fail, not just the Irish people, but also now the people of Palestine. In this series of articles I want to show the FF and FG parties' continual failures, and to show their true priorities. However, I would like to say that the opposition will not achieve real change or solve any of the multitude of crises that plague our nation. They too ultimately support the interests of the ruling class. That is why it is important to embrace socialism as James Connolly, one of the key figures of the failed but incredibly important 1916 Rising, intended. Ireland has a rich revolutionary history. We can see from our history that you cannot reason with oppressors. We must continue our revolutionary tradition and create a better country ourselves. We will not be independent until we free ourselves from the capitalists, to quote James Connolly: "If you remove the English Army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin Castle, unless you set about the organization of the Socialist Republic your efforts will be in vain. England will still rule you. She would rule you through her capitalists, through her landlords, through her financiers, through the whole array of commercial and individualist institutions she has planted in this country and watered with the tears of our mothers and the blood of our martyrs."
In Solidarity,
FurInform
