A 19-year-old Cork student who volunteered for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) says she has become the victim of a hate campaign.
Cliona Campbell, who has just returned from two months working with the IDF, says she has received public abuse, emails and messages telling her to "keep her head down" after writing a piece for the local paper on her experiences.
"I came back after two months and wrote a piece on my experiences. Now I am getting hate mail and being targeted. I went into a clothes shop where I live and the security guard came up to me abusing me. My Facebook page link was posted online in a forum and I started getting emails telling me to keep my head down from now on. My friends started getting abusive emails soon after that too."
Campbell says she is upset at the personal insults that have also been sent to her.
"There were guys online as well saying that I was 'rough' in terms of my looks and bringing it all to a new, personal level as well. If I was a man coming back from being in the IDF, there would be none of that. That is the upsetting part."
She says most of the reaction has been because she spoke highly of her time with the army and maintains her own strong beliefs about their work.
"I got on really well with the soldiers. They were all there for their own reasons and had their own stories as to why they were there.
"I have a huge interest in the Jewish people and always have had so I had no hesitation about going out there."
Campbell joined the IDF after applying through Sar-El, a volunteering project that agreed to send her over to work for eight weeks.
"I took a crash course in Hebrew first and spent ages preparing. It was a massive culture shock, but very worthwhile. A lot of the days would be spent re-mantling guns and working with the soldiers out in the 42-degree heat".
She also joined a protest against the flotilla to Gaza in May during which the IDF murdered nine passengers on board one of the boats.
"I was a bit sad to be coming home, and now I've come back to all this discussion," Campbell says. "Some of the people writing to me and about me say they now see me as a terrorist and that they don't even see me as Irish anymore. I stand up for what I believe and I get hate mail and abuse, and I wouldn't mind if half of those people could back up what they are saying with a logical argument," she says.
Of course she's not Irish anymore, she's assisted a foreign beligerent army in contradiction of the Defence Act 1954. She studied Law originally, so she should know this.
To put on a veil of naiviety after the massacre of aid workers on board the flotilla in May is nothing short of despicable. I hope this cretin gets whats coming to her.
Good Luck to Cliona !
You are free to do as you wish.
Whats all the fuss about ?
Cliona, pay no heed to the usual idiots, trolls and armchair warriors here, on facebook, etc. you are to be commended for doing something that you believed in and experiencing life first hand.....
Good luck to her, if she joined some Palestinian outfit should would be feted back here.It took great courage for her to come out and tell of her experience.
I would like to see her volunteer with a peace group in the West Bank to balance her experiences. I wonder how she would feel about these soldiers if she witnessed these brave men and women saturating a peaceful protest held by school girls. I have witnesed in this a few years ago and I testify there is no respect for the Palestinians by the IDF.
Fair play to you Cliona. Stick to yur convictions. The majority of Irish people support you and the Israeli people, without whose staunch defence of democracy in the Middle East, the whole region would long ago have descended into chaos.
I'll bet there were a lot of spilled cappucinos by the "pseudo freedom fighters" of the liberal left when they heard about your bravery. Must have upset them something awful.
Anti Semitism has never disappeared and judging by the reaction of the lunatic fringe who targeted you, it's still alive in Ireland.
Want a logical argument, honey? Well here's one.
IN 1948 thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes in order to establish a state that specifically referred to itself as Jewish. That's racist and sectarian.
In 1967 Israel annexed huge swathes of what was left of Palestine as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria.
Israel has a demonstrable policy of collective punishment, bulldozing people's homes, has carried out assassinations in other countries of people not convicted of any crime. They blatantly forged passports for that very purpose earlier this year, with the spineless British government 'registering disapproval.'
In 2006 the launched a brutal war against Lebanon which their allies in the US referred to as "the birth pangs of a new middle east". (Condoleeza Rice).
In 2008/09 the launched a brutal attack on the Gaza strip where they outkilled their opposition to a ratio of more than 11-1. The vast majority were civilians.
The IDF is the main tool in maintaining the vicious siege of Gaza. They murdered 9 people on the flotilla and probably wouldn't hesitate to do it again. And this is all supported by the west.
You may have a fondness for Judaism. But that doesn't translate into support for the reactionary, imperialist Zionist regime in the state of Israel.
Is that a good enough argument for you?
People forget that the Palestinians were dancing in the streets celebrating 9/11. Good luck to her and lets never forget who all our enemy's are. Mike Chicago.
Go for you Cliona! A pity more Irish people don't stand up and protect the only democracy in the Middle East instead of following a policy of Jew-hating. Shalom :)
SpenVolunteering for the Israeli Occupation Force which maintains the apartheid state of Israel, oppresses the Palestinian people and routinely breaches multiple international laws is a disgusting act. During their 22 day murderous assault on Gaza in 2008/2009 the IOF killed 1,417 Palestinians including over 300 children. They committed war crimes, including using white phosphorous on a captive civilian population. That this is just one example of their numerous crimes against humanity is a measure of how reprehensible their actions constantly are and how wrong your endorsement of them is.
Brian - your comments are very threatening & sinister.
also - which of the 318 sections of the Defence Act 1954 are you referring to when you infer someone being stripped of citizenship?
regardless of whether people agree with your perspective, they are entitled to their opinions.
Cliona is a brave girl to volunteer for defense duty with the Israeli Army.
I agree that there's a lot of sad Irish people who direct their hate towards Cliona. The simple fact is most people sit on their arses and never volunteer for anything but are quite content to sit in row X passing judgement on others who actually go out in the World to do what feels right for them.
Well done, Cliona, helping the only true democracy in the Middle East to defend itself against the surrounding hordes bent only on its destruction. Don't mind all that anti-Semitic drivel that you're getting in these comments. And if Raymond Deane doesn't like what you're doing, well then, you must be doing something right.
Cliona, I was shocked to hear that you have received such abuse just for standing up for what you believe in. This article forgets to mention that the 8 "peace activists" aboard the mavi marava set out violent and aggressive intentions. If people knew the whole story, and not what they just read in the media, then they would perhaps think twice before launching such attacks on people like Cliona. I admire your courage!
At one level, fair play to her for getting off her rear end and having the courage of her convictions.
Its just a pity her convictions were to join a foreign belligerent army of occupation that previously killed Irish troops at a time that they were committing war crimes.
The thing that struck me is the utter naivety that she wouldn't get dogs abuse for proudly stating that she served in the army of a state we have had to expel diplomats from recently. Silly girl.
As for the charges of anti-semitism and the totally demolished myth that Palestinians celebrated 9/11, they are beneath contempt.
Fair play to you it is good to know that there are some people trying to make up for all the anti Israeli nonsense. De Valera the man who apologised to Hitler would not have been to proud and neither would Michael Martin or Dermot Ahern who carry on the same FF tradition. The crowd of anti Israeli's up at Aosdana supported by the tax payer also love nothing more than to rant at the Jews. They can spot an Israeli settler at 1000 miles but cannot see 2,500 missiles flung into Israel willy nilly.
If even one missile had come over the border into the South from Ulster they would all be on their high horses condemning the "terrorism" but they are like the three wise monkeys when it comes to Israel. They foolishly think there is votes in condemning Israel even as they blatantly destroy their own country with their foolish crony policies.
Ireland is a swamp when it comes to morality. I bet none of these people criticizing you have even got out of bed one day to go and protest about their own fetid crony capitalist swamp. They yawn even as their own children have to emigrate. Yet, one thing you can be sure of, they will never miss a chance to rise up from their horizontal yawning position to wave a finger at Israel before going back to sleep. You are right to do what you do and good luck to you.
Given all the ignorance in Ireland and the downright bias of the Irish media; I think it's amazing that a young Irish woman has the guts and the moral backbone to do what she did. As for how "Irish" she is - well, do we now need to do DNA tests on everyone who thinks for themselves instead of following the crowd?
There's something factually wrong in the article though: The IDF did not "murder" nine peace activists bringing aid to Gaza! There was no aid on that ship and the IDF soldiers were fighting for their lives - but pathological Hitlerites still refuse to admit it!
Well done Cliona, I admire your wandering spirit but not the company you keep.
#Ruth: Morons invoking the spirit of Hitler to criticise those who question the IDF are just that. There were no weapons on the flotilla, you know this but your quite happy to muddy the water with lying accusations.
If you want to bring that nonsense into the argument the I'd like to her your thoughts on the annexing of land, ehtnic cleansing, collective punishment of civilians, destruction of civilian infrastructure, use of chemical weapons on civilians by war criminals.
I'd like to see an article next week from someone who has spent a couple of months with the Hezbollah, they have a more just cause and honourable tradition than the IDF.
Cliona will never be accepted in Israel because she is not Jewish.
She joins the Middle East's answer to the Black & Tans and then goes on the self publicity circuit and, what, she's expect to be praised in Ireland? What a clown. She's an extreme example of a spoiled moral cretin brought up in the Celtic Tiger era that falls to wailing feminist soundbytes on reflex when she finds it isn't all heavenly praise and kisses being thrown her way.
Mike in Chicago... the Palestinians were not dancing in the streets for 9/11. Don't be so gullible. You got shown some footage of Palestinians celebrating which was recorded in 1991, ten years before the Twin towers were attacked. No surprise that people who support Cliona and the "IDF" are just as ill-informed as she is.
Anyone can go off and feel like they achieved something at the rear lines, hidden from the truth on the front, where the Israeli military violate human rights with impugnity.
Mazeltov Cliona!
Ignore the ignorami!
The ultra anti-jewish sentiment spews forth from those with blinkered hateful agendas or those too gullible to know the difference.
You have stood for the only true democracy in the middle-east, where all, including arab women, are equal.
Brian, the so-called " aid workers " immediately attacked the IDF when they boarded the ship and IDF responded with lethal force. But those killed had expressed a desire to be martyred - they were not aid workers in the true sense of those words. Genuine aid workers do not carry weapons. But of course their deaths have been used by the anti-Israeli lobby to attack Israel. But just what is your point concerning the 1954 Defence Act?
Good on you Cliona! Wish there were more honest democrats like you!
The article mentions a "flotilla to Gaza in May during which the IDF murdered nine passengers on board one of the boats". "Murdered"? Murder implies premeditation - strange then that no "murder" was committed on the other ships in the fleet, only on the one crewed by Islamists. The Islamists on board the Mavi Marmara attempted to murder the Israeli officers executing the search warrant, but died in the course of their attempts to commit murder.
This kind of media malice against the Jewish state is reason enough to understand Cliona's dedication to bridge cultural divides, her commitment to understanding at first hand.
Cliona is to be commended for her strength of character, her bravery in the face of this media thuggery, and her determination to stand by her principles. Ireland would be a better place if there were more people like Cliona.
Fair play to you. There's too many people over here in Ireland eager to vent their fury on Israel, without actually knowing a huge amount about it. I've been in Israel many times, and the Israelis aren't some sinister race of monsters, they're just the same as everybody else, the only difference being their country is tiny (smaller than Leinster) and there's 7 million people squashed into it. Also worth bearing in mind is that all of their neighbours have tried to invade them at least once, so Israelis are very security conscious. Sort out your own local political issues before you start preaching to others how they should do things.
Cliona Campbell is an unusually courageous and upright person. Ireland should be proud that it raises kids with such commitment to moral clarity instead of hunting her down in the media.
The greatest burden in civilisation is the blind inability to accept "the other". Comment #21 ("Cliona will never be accepted in Israel because she is not Jewish") is precisely the kind of ethnic hatemongering that caused Ireland to fester for so many decades and resulted in thousands of deaths over the generations.
I know people living in Israel who are followers of Christianity, Islam and the Druze and Bahai religions. I know Jews and non-Jews in Israel who are jet-black, milk-white and every shade in between. This includes both Muslim and Christian black Africans fleeing through Muslim Africa to seek asylum in the one country in the region where they know their human rights are guaranteed: the Jewish state.
So let's have less hatred and more admiration for youngsters who know how to forge links between people and who are an absolute credit to the society that raised them.
Well done Cliona! You are a worthy representative of the new Ireland and you have immense support.
I didn't know Ireland had so many experts on Israel - does UCD offer an on-line course or something I could take? Or should i get off my ass and go there and see for myself?
Being a Swede, it seems Ireland and Swede has experienced the same growing antisemitism in media and among too many politicians.
Arab refugees - why is that mentioned more often than the greater number of Jewish refugees form the Arab world at the same time, around the creation of Israel? Most came to Israel, everyone absorbed within months. The Arabs fleeing to Arabs still sit in camps. Why?
The war in Gaza was preceded by appr 10000 rockets and grenades against Jewish women and children, the last week 40 A DAY! What could Israel do?
Remember Colonel Kemp, British specialist, witnessed in front of UN that the Israeli attack had been much more humanitarian than what is now happening in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The slander against Israel is antisemitism according to the EU definition of this, go and read.
A Witch! Burn Her!
(On a side-note I see that the European Tribunals have not changed one bit for the last 2000 years when it comes to judging the pesky jooos....)
Judging from some of the comments above, it seems to me that Ireland suffers from the same disease that has haunted Sweden for long - a blind hatred against Israel, based on utter ignorance. Why this plague has struck so hard against these countries, I have no idea.
The key to a lasting peace is, and has always been, in the hands of Arab rulers. Unfortunately no sign of a wish for peace has been seen yet.
It is quite telling that when Jews move back to the homes, from which they were banned during 19 years by the Arabs (1948-67), it is called 'occupation'. What is the correct phrase to describe the Arabs of Baghdad? Only 65 years ago 38% of the population of Baghdad were Jews. They were all expelled. Their houses were stolen. The story is the same from Morocco to Iran.
Cliona aided the Zionist War machine, you should be ashamed for helping a state which treats human beings like dirt. Showing opposition to Israel is not anti-semtic, There are Jewish people all over the world that are opposed to a zionist state, I was at a talk in Dublin a few months ago, the main speaker at the meeting was a German Jew who was in Auschwitz and he compared his expereance to that now in Gaza and the west bank, he says that the two are very much the same, is this man pro-hitler for not suporting the State of Israel?
I didn`t know neither..and I didn`t know that so many people are totaly brainwashed by massmedia and arab propaganda.
Cliona-You are a brave person ! We are thousands of thousand who stay at Your side ! And we know-like You, that this antiisraeli hate propaganda is wrong and the TRUTH will prewail one day.
You can stand with Your head uprisen,and don`t You pay attention to all these small people with small brains.
Israel in our hearts-now and forever.
You know what Sir Winston Churchill said?
"Difficulties mastered are opportunities won"
The oldest, ugliest illness on earth seems to be incurable. Not even Holocaust could stop it. Israel gets the blame for everything. There is no genocide of palestinians, as said above. They have grown from 700 000 who fled 1948 - now they are 4,5 miljon. Jews thrown out from arab countries were 800 00 - israel cared for their people but the huge arabic world left the refugees in camps. Cliona can be proud belonging to the rather few couragious who dare to resist the ugly antisemitism. Martin Luther King recognized it - the hatred towards Israel. Dont´t make a mistake, he said, they mean the jews.
Thank you Cliona for being brave and honest.
Sincerely Karin Pernilla
from Sweden
"She also joined a protest against the flotilla to Gaza in May during which the IDF murdered nine passengers on board one of the boats. "
Silly brat, why did she not think people would be abhorred at this sort of thing?
She's only 19, a law student of course (so she's probably a member of FF or FG), what was she doing "volunteering" with the IDF?
Any civilised people would find her behaviour shocking. Then she goes and boasts her extremist convictions in a local newspaper and moans about how she's the victim.
Suddenly, everyone's sexist and anti-Semitic, oh, and she's so brave. LOL
She's already jumped in with the far right muppet hacks and she's not even 20.
This sounds like a Fox News story.
Well done Cliona - I support you. Don't be intimidated by others whose opinion differs from yours.
Thomas is a typical representant of brainwashed people.Poor Europe.
You are fighting against the democracy and humanity of Israel. You are fighting at the same side as barbarians and enemies of freedom and tolerance.Thomas-You are a slave under the lies,lies with roots in nazi propaganda against sionism.
Go by Yourselv to Israel,look around, and You`ll change Your opinion about this brave girl Cliona !
Elwir Z
Sweden
cliona my love, me and all of the other volunteers are behind you all the way!!! im so proud that you continue to stand up for your beliefs, no matter how much your family and the close-minded irish attack you!!! Let the naive Irish think that you're doing the wrong thing. They haven't lived in Israel and don't know the real story to anything. They just believe whatever the media tells them b.c its easier to hate and blame the Jews, like the rest of the world does!
A. Tomas: shes volunteered because she doesnt care about what everyone else thinks. unlike you and the rest of Ireland, she's not afraid to take a stand and say what she believes in. Although her parents may not approve of her decision I think she was brought up with the right morals and has a good head on her shoulders!!!
ISRAEL LOVES YOU CLIONA!!!
Good God as soon as anything about Israel appears on any page on any website anywhere in the world the entire 3rd battalion of the Pro-Israel brigade weighs in en-masse with their usual message of "you're all anti semites"
But I would like to nail just one lie posted earlier, 8 men of middle eastern origin were indeed arrested for dancing in the street and on the roof of a car celebrating the attack on the Trade Towers by New York police.. after neighbours had phoned the police to report it.
they were allowed to leave the USA 4 days later on their Israeli passports using diplomatic immunity they were mossad agents following Mohammed Atta and Waleed al-Shehri both alledged hijackers on the day.
Ive had discussions with her before on a well known forum.
The reason she is getting what she calls "Abuse" is because shes simply such an uneducated simpleton. She claims things that are demonstrably false and calls anyone who disagrees with her assertion that the false is true, to be a racist.
She truly is a horrible little gremlin.
Seems like the trolls are out in force today. I honestly can't understand where all this hatred comes from. You people should be ashamed of yourselves - she is nineteen years old! A lot of you probably have kids her age. Also, she has the courage to appear in the media, with name and picture, whereas most of those who are here harassing her don't even have the guts, nor the decency, to post under their own, full names. I hope it makes you feel really brave and strong, harassing a young woman from behind the safe cover of a computer screen.
Cliona Campbell, the world could certainly need more brave young people like yourself.
Do the people against her not have anything to say about Hamas & their total disregard for life? No, I thought so, everything's always Israel's fault. Well if you watch "Panorama" next week you might learn that the Flotilla had some nasty people on board, who were there for their own agenda's. Panorama, will have unseen film that wasn't shown before that will shine a new light on some of these aid people, & it's not very good.
Good on you girl, you are very brave as other reader's have pointed out. & I bet those complaining about you, are probably the same type that hate the fact Catholics are joining the PSNI.
Ireland, you are still producing fine humans, like CLIONA ! Be proud.
Ciona, Thank you for speaking out and telling the truth. The truth is rarely welcomed when lies prevail but then all these people are missing out on the great fun of being in Israel. If only they would open their minds and hearts and understand the truth they could be open and loving as you are.
They know nothing of the Palestinians who cross the border every day for medical treatment (free) in Israel or the 250 trucks of aid which passes into Gaza each day.
If Hamas stopped the rockets on Israeli citizens Israel would open her borders as they once were!!!!!
Dear Cliona,
iI admire your courage, your fight for truth and democracy. You live in a country which is in the hands of antisemitic, tyranny and terror supporting mass media.
Don´t despair, there are many people
who agree with you and support you.
As you see, Irish massmedia will do everything to "break" you, but I am sure you are a strong girl and you have support of many thousands of people all over the world. Maria
I regret that Cliona has converted from Christianity to Jewry. Nevertheless, the decision belongs to her and her democratic freedom of religion, thinking, speaking. Antisemitism, christophoebia and islamophoebia expressions of fanaticism (talibanism). The fact that nine Muslim fighters wer killed while attacking Israeli commandos is regrettable, a fruit of war
Just to respond to a couple of comments:
Paddy-"The simple fact is most people sit on their arses and never volunteer for anything". By that logic young Brits of Pakistani origin "volunteering" for a bit of training in the Afghan mountains because thats what they believe in, should be commended for their initiative. The answer is.. ofcourse not!
Tom-"If people knew the whole story, and not what they just read in the media (the Gaza flotilla)". Please enlighten us on what the WHOLE story is, because if you didnt read an article by a journalist who was there covering the story, you must have actually been there yourself. I bet you'd have no problem criticising Ivor Callely though all you know about his scandal you read in the media. Is he being victimised by "the media"?
Dear Cliona,
you are a courageous girl, who loves freedom and is willing to fight for it, you resist antisemitism and ugly slander.
Don´t care about medias or persons who try to slander you.Every human being who is civilized admires you.
You have support of many people all over the world.
Go on being brave and honest, Good luck Maria Linde
Dear Cliona
Bravo for your courage! You have plenty of support and love from non-jewish people who also support Israel.
Sam: I have been in many Arab towns in Israel as well as predominantly Arab eastern Jerusalem. I happened to walk in some Arab neighbourhoods on the anniversary of 9/11, and many people were rather jubilant, with parties and gatherings happening in homes and mosques. Many Arab businesses even today have posters showing Sadam Hussein as a saint on their windows.
I still believe a Palestinain state is a necessity, but in recent years I have seen just how rotten to the core that society is.
Disgusting. I am ashamed that this person is Irish. I found it hard to get past the part where she supports a brutal and viscous military occupation. No sympathy -
Did the IDF give her a crash course in how to play the victim too? This is such an obvious PR stunt. If she's happy to be used to foster the imagine of "poor poor victimised Israel" it's her choice. But she shouldn't be expected to be respected because of it.
Cliona, don't let the b--tards grind you down. I salute your honesty, and your willingness to face down the hate-fuelled bigots who are determined to delegitimise Israel until it no longer exists. At which point they will cry crocodile tears that they didn't mean for all Israelis to die, only the Zionist Israelis. As for the legal experts who claim that you served in the IDF, you didn't. Sar-el is not an organic part of the IDF, although it does serve a very useful purpose. Good on you, girl!
One of the many malicious posters here commented that 'The reason she is getting what she calls "Abuse" is because shes simply such an uneducated simpleton.'
Let's get this straight. I have an MA from TCD, a 4-year Scottish MA from Edinburgh, and a PhD from Cambridge. I have lectured at university, and published large numbers of books, journal articles and encyclopedia entries. Let us assume I am at least well educated. But I think Cliona did something courageous and admirable, and only wish I were younger and healthier so I could do the same. My second MA and PhD were in Middle East studies, in case anyone thinks I am enthusiastic about Israel without knowing the facts. It is precisely because I do know the facts that I am an unswerving supporter of that small but creative country. My problem, when I read so many of these vicious comments is that these may be educated people (though in most cases I doubt it), but they clearly know next to nothing. This serious ignorance is tearing the Middle East apart. And it's not just ignorance, it's the most blatant expression of anti-Semitism since the Nazi era. Cliona, you are not alone. Tell your detractors where to go, or just ignore them. The IDF is the world's most moral army, and its enemies are men and women without morality, cowards and sadists. So you deserve to stand up tall for the help you have given to these peace-makers.
Cliona You have brought shame on Ireland and worse still you have brought shame on Cork.
Clio...thank you for what you've done. Some of my family (and we are descended from kin of Niall of the Nine Hostages, in Donegal) have converted to Orthodox Judaism and I admire and support what you've done. Don't mind the antisemites on this board -- they're quite typical and predictable, and bear in mind also that history never remembers such people well, and rarely remembers them at all. Slan, and 'Am Israel 'Chai, too!
jesus, what an almighty idiot this woman is.
and that's the most charitable interpretation you could take of her actions.
#49 Corrxxx commented, on August 10, 2010 at 9:32 a.m.:
"By that logic young Brits of Pakistani origin "volunteering" for a bit of training in the Afghan mountains because thats what they believe in, should be commended for their initiative. The answer is.. ofcourse not!"
Corrxxx, they are volunteering for terrorism training in order to perform terrorism activities. Cliona trained for defense in order to perform defense activities. Please check your logic.
"Please enlighten us on what the WHOLE story is" The whole story is the fact that missiles regularly fired from Gaza into Israeli cities, the blockade set to stop this, the fact that the blockade is completely legal, the fact that Israeli commandos were captured by "Muslim fighters" and their lives were in grave danger, and the fact that there were casualties. Now you can get back to BBC and listen to the muslims side of the story.
#9 Marc commented, on August 8, 2010 at 9:09 p.m.:
"IN 1948 thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes in order to establish a state that specifically referred to itself as Jewish."
This is simply not true. They were not forced, they fleed their country because by the enemy of this country to clear the battlefield. Second, those "palestinians" had more than enough time to proclaim their own state but refused to do so.
"In 1967 Israel annexed huge swathes of what was left of Palestine as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria." Because it was constantly attacked from these territories. Your own country would do exactly the same if it was in the same environment.
"Israel has a demonstrable policy of collective punishment" no it doesn't; , "bulldozing people's homes" terrorists homes to prevent the financial benefits their families gain, "has carried out assassinations in other countries of people not convicted of any crime" assassinations of terrorists is a right thing to do. "In 2006 the launched a brutal war against Lebanon" in response for it's soldiers being captured there which was an act of war. "In 2008/09 the launched a brutal attack on the Gaza strip" after being attacked with dozens of rockets per day, "where they outkilled their opposition to a ratio of more than 11-1." which stopped the rockets attacks effectively. "The vast majority were civilians." as per Hamas terrorists claims.
"The IDF is the main tool in maintaining the ... siege of Gaza" in an attempt to prevent further rockets attacks."They murdered 9 people on the flotilla" in order to free their captured commandos from being murdered. "and probably wouldn't hesitate to do it again" -- hopefully so. "Is that a good enough argument for you?" it's all old middle east islamists propaganda. The brain is to use, not to sit on it.
To John:
She didn't ask to be respected, but she shouldn't be abused either.
To all the Palestinian supporters:
Try to imagine walking in the street and suddenly hearing a siren going off and you can't find shelter (and knowing that your children are in school hiding under their school desk.
Try to imagine what it feels like going on a bus thinking that a suicide bomber might be coming onto the bus any minute.
Try to imagine having your bag checked every time you go into a shopping centre, supermarket, cinema or any public place (because there is a constant threat terrorists).
The IDF is just that: a defence force.
If there was no threat of terrorism, there wouldn't be so many sanctions and limitations on the Palestinians.
The spewers of hate have no interest in facts or reality.Isreal is the sole beacon of liberty and freedom in the middle east where people of all kind have rights to struggle against the absurdities we all face in even the best of societies, whether Ireland or America. Shall we contrast the Arab countries and the kind of societies they have created, where the kind of people we are, the kind of life we lead and glorify is forbidden by law, often on pain of death. Where there is ther a place to follow your own beliefs. Is there a greater apartheid than the one practised in Muslim societies. And in countries where muslims are becoming numerous they are in our streets, (UK, France, Holland, Spain, Germany, Austria,) demanding that their laws applyunder the guise of freedom of religion which they deny others in their own countries. These laws are contrary to human rights. In Israel , as in any democratic country, one has to fight for for one's rights, but one has that right. Where does that exist for christians and Jews in Arab countries.
People can make what ever comment they like but the fact is that this....person.... has brought shame on Ireland. I want on behalf of all ....sane.... Irish people to apologize to the Palestinian people. Thank God she is rare and I would imagine very immature.
If Raymond Deane thinks the IDF doesn't defend anything, then he's obviously blinded by two things:
1) His hatred of Israel
2) His inability to see that the Palestinians/Arab states can do any wrong.
Does he really think that if the IDF disbanded then everybody would live happily ever after?
To
Marc,#9.
Listen,"honey":
1. There was no such nationality as "palestinian" back in 1948. They are descendants of Jordanians that over time occupied the territory that is now being disputed over. Nobody forced them out - most of the land was legally bought from them, as it was unwanted by them for being swamps & desert. Only after they saw how the Israelies made it blossom they decided they want it back.
2.Most of these "Palestinians" are dying to get Israeli citizenship & forget all about the nightmare that is Palestine. Most of them work in Israel anyway. It's only the group of radical terrorists that is their "goverment" that causes the trouble.
3. Whoever is talking about "the zionist war machine"(ooohhh,scary!) - take a look at the map - can you even see Israel among the rest of the islamic Middle east? It's like looking for a needle in a haystack...
4.Israel pulled out of Gaza years ago - they don't want to have anyhing to do with it. But neither does Egypt (so much for the so called muslim brotherhood), that's why it wan't open the border, and Egyptian soldiers shoot anyone who crosses it. They don't take s**t,like Israel does in an attempt to stay human - considering the Israeli government pays for the maintenance of thousands of terrorists guilty of murder of children and unarmed citizens to be kept alive in prison, instead of executing them,like any muslim country,or even USA would do.
to #60 johnny.
"jesus, what an almighty idiot this woman is."
next time shaving carefully look at the mirror. Everything you said, but a woman.
Cliona
Well done in speaking out. It takes courage to stand for your views. May the Lord bless and protect you and your family
Sadly the IPSC, Raymond Deane et all and most other Irish pro-Palestinians are extremist scum who think nothing of intimidating others to prevent any rational debate which they would surely loose - its nothing new as Sean Gannon suffered something similar for a fairly mild article in Haaretz a few years back: http://frontpagemag.com/2010/06/22/al... part-iii/ - the pro-Palestinians in this country like most others are rabid dogs.
Conor, Ruth, Jonny, Maire, & idiot Rick above me, you certainly don't talk for me, or the majority of Irish people. The people of Ireland (including me) don't have anything against the Palestinians. It's the Hamas vultures in their midst we despise. & I know the Palestinians voted for them, but that's not hard to do when there are only terrorist groups in the running, remember Fatah, & al-Asifa, the PLO before them, etc? So hopefully the Palestinians will get rid of these crazies even before the next election, just as I hope the Green movement will get rid of the "Autocracy" in Iran.
Well, done , Cliona. I am sure that the negative comments you received were from people who had never visited Israel. Perhaps they would listen to this clip to get some feeling of what Israel has achieved, in spite of many attempts to destroy the state since its inception
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHStBG...
I only hope Ireland can do as well.
Cliona, read the comment number 67 by DEE he/she is correct. Take it from a person who worked in Israel in the 80/90s. This country at the moment is full of trouble makers who we took in from other countries and stupit TD's who speak without having personel knowledge of affairs in Israel and the middle east in general. The people who call you and your friends names will move on to some other issue in the near future. I commend you for your bravery, as for the Defence Act 1954-1987 the particular section this un-educated rabble refer to only applies to members of the Defence Forces and not the general public. Shalom (Peace be with you) A fellow Irish person.
Being a humanist does not equate to being an AntiSemite. Those who condone the use of chemical weapons, cluster bombs and collective punishment on an innocent populace are just disgusting people - saying this does not make me an antisemite.
The majority of the posts above criticising Cliona are for her moral blindness. To say Israel is the only Democracy in the middle east is to say that South Africa was a beacon for democracy in the 70's and 80's, rights are only afforded to those deemed fit - these are facts that Cliona and her supporters are unwilling to face.
I would find #70 Rick's comment funny if it were not so offensive, extremist scum as he calls them are in plentiful supply amongst those he supports and who the IDF are protecting.
#62 Alex: "assassinations of terrorists is a right thing to do", I have no doubt these people were terrorists but there is such a thing as a court of law and a presumption of innocence before proof of guilt, they might not accord us or the Israeli's the same priviliges but it should be our imperative to rise above such behaviour. By that logic the US should have by-passed the arrest of all the "terrorists" brought to guantanamo, and simply assassinated the lot. The government line being: we know they're all terrorists that's all you need to know.
#61 Alex: "Now you can get back to BBC and listen to the muslims side of the story". What you meant is the Palestinian side, they're not all muslims, just as all nationalists in the north arent all just Catholic, unless you meant to stereotype. The question I asked was if this person knew the "whole story",but believed in an anti-Israel conspiracy in the media, where were they getting their supposed ironclad information from unless they were there? Clearly you think the bbc is in on it too? What irrefutible unbiased outlet are you spouting your facts from?
Personally I believe neither side has covered themselves in glory, you can argue about who's worse. As such I would not go down there to train with either side without expecting a large amount of vitriol.
To Mark and other Arab fans:
Get you fact straight:
1. 1948 - as soon as Israil was established 6 Arab nations declare a war and invented it, killing a lot of Jews.
2 The fact that Arabs lost tells you that Jews were better because they defended THEIR land.
Just as I thought about so many of these self styled "experts" in IPSC, they can't bear to read the truth in the original article, preferring to create their own hysteria on an agenda based on hatred, not facts.
I would be happy to entertain some of these self centered belligerants here in Israel if they are prepared to open their eyes to the reality of life here.
From many of their comments above it is
clear they haven't a clue what they are talking about
Good on you Cliona - you are a person of principle and honourable character, and a good role model in a world going adrift.
It is amazing to see the degree of emotive intensity when the subject of Israel arises in almost any political context - like they say, 'lots of heat and no light', although I must say that the posted comments so far seem to be on balance favouring light - thank God! (I particularly like the youtube clip submitted by Allan Watford (72) - thanks Allan).
God made a promise that to those who bless Israel, they will be blessed and to those who curse Israel, they will be cursed. Therefore, considering the economic disaster of the past two years maybe it just might be wise to begin to show some kindness and support to Israel and to the Cliona's of the world.
Cliona is an awesome girl. I was one of her fellow volunteers when she was here in Israel (where i live) and can tell you first hand she fully supportive of the Israeli cause and wants nothing more than peace here.
Anyone who disagrees with what Israel is trying to achieve is blind and probably an armchair warrior, someone who sits on facebook or news articles all day commenting on stuff they have no idea about!
Cliona you did great. First you went against the tide to recognise truth. This took courage. Second you made a decision to take action when the opportunity came. This took courage. And now you stand tall and speak out to defend this truth. This takes courage. You will make a great lawyer (for a while) and then move on to bigger things. When I read your story from here in Israel, I felt proud of my close ties with Ireland, Cork, and UCC.
Good for you Cliona! And good for Israel! You are a credit to your country and your city. Ignore the poor ignorant creatures who spew their hatred and disgust here - they clearly don't know much - or anything at all really, which they prove by posting their stupid and brainwashed comments here in order to hurt you simply because they don't know any better. Be strong and have faith!
Read the book ' The Case For Israel' by Alan Dershowitz.
In my opinion she did a good job. I joined the Sar-el program twice and it were very good experiences.
I spoke with a lot of soldiers about the Israeli-Palestine issue and now I understand more about this and about IDF and the reason why young men and women have to spent 3 (boys) and 2 (girls) precious years of their lives in the army.
If all the countrys around Israel (and hezbollah and hamas) stop their agression
against Israel there will be peace, both in Israel and the region, and this young Israeli's don't have to do military service for such a long time and 'Palestinians' can get prosperity and a good life in the Westbank and Gaza.
Kees van Pelt, Holland
Well done, Cliona. As a Sar-El volunteer, I have the utmost respect for you and for the brave young men and women of the IDF.
Listen, all of this talk back and fourth from both sides is meaningless. The WORLD really needs to know and understand that when Israel and Jews from around the world need to do something to protect themselves they will DO IT.Do you really think that by voicing your opinion which might or might not be factual really matters? As I stated above,that is when peace might come to the region.
#74 Gary commented: “I would find #70 Rick's comment funny if it were not so offensive, extremist scum as he calls them are in plentiful supply amongst those he supports and who the IDF are protecting.”
Gary I am sorry you didn’t find it funny – perhaps your woeful existence lacks an element of laughter but I am not the least bit sorry you find it “offensive”. I don’t know you personally but reiterate the sort of people that advance positions like yourself are “extremist scum” - the IPSC “extremist scum” who have marched with children dressed in Hamas uniforms. Most of the pro-Israel people support a two-state solution as you must surely know whilst pro-Palestinians don’t. Sorry but that’s “extremist scum”.
I put up a link to an article that backs up my claim in a substantial amount of detail but the link didn’t work: http://frontpagemag.com/2010/06/22/al...
It appears that nothing can so anger an antisemite as being exposed. Cliona is a very brave young woman of a clear mind, and Ireland is to be commended for producing such a wonderful example in the midst of such blatant antisemitism and blind support for the criminals of Fatah and Hamas. Israel is, indeed, the only true democracy in that portion of the world. Their only mistake is in allowing the idiots in high places in the UK, USA, etc. to force them to "negotiate" the possible horror of creating another terrorist state as their neighbor. May God bring such folly to an end! God bless you, dear girl, for doing such a beautiful and wonderful thing, and God bless the IDF.
If Mike Gregory would care to consult SNOPES at http://www.snopes.com/rumors/cnn.asp he will see that the footage of the people dancing in the streets was shot (if you will forgive the expression) in East Jerusalem by a Reuters film crew, just after the news broke of the Twin Towers bombing, on Tuesday, September 11th.
If you need any further help dating the film, Bin-Laden is invoked, which could not have happened 10 years earlier. Also, the Reuters crew released an anguished statement confirming the date and time of their filming.
It is interesting, though, to see Mr. Gregory's eagerness to take on the lie that the film was inaccurately ascribed.
In a nutshell, his unwillingness to face the truth demonstrates the problem with much Western reaction to what is going on in the Middle East.
Brian: You write: "I hope this cretin gets whats coming to her."
What do you think is "coming to her"? Would you care to spell that out?
Corrxxx: do you really think that if an Irish person went and trained with Fatah or Hamas, they would receive a comparable amount of vitriol? Now that IS naive.
Israel IS NOT A TRUE DEMOCRACY while
people in the West Bank and Gaza who are under Israeli control don't have the vote,i.e. the right of self-determination.
The reason most Irish people support the Palestinian cause is because we were also colonised/ethnically cleansed and feel it is wrong by any objective standard. Nothing to do with antisemitism, liberalism, or any other -ism.
Have you heard the one about the hooligan who kills his parents and then pleads for mercy because he's an orphan? Well that's the anti-Israel movement for you. They couldn't tolerate Jews returning to their homeland (to land that they purchased pre-1948) and couldn't accept A UN partition of the land and then attempted to butcher the Jews (there is no shortage of documentation as to the intended genocide). Yes, many Palestinians were displaced during this unsuccessful genocide of the Jews. Better that outcome than a second genocide within a decade! Well done Cliona for seeing through the orphan story.
Your "aggressors" only expose their ignorance of history and the facts (and their hatred for Jews!). If you are not for Israel you are obviously against her (no-middle way), which means you support and side with Iran, Syria, Libya and all those other Arab-Muslim theocratic, totalitarian regimes, their potentates and Islamic Jihadies, Hisbollah, Hamas, Fatah, IHH and scores of other terrorist groups. One who is against Israel is against his/her own western civilization..which is tantamount to betrayal!
You go Cliona! Little did you know there was a bigger battle to prepare for in Ireland than in Israel. You did well, and the attacks of all these creeps, bigots and liars is proof of it. If you were a coward like them and did nothing good, you'd never hear a word of criticism. Also, don't pay attention to the personal insults. That's what weak people do when they don't have any argument, is to make up insults.
John, the only genocide that seems to be on the cards now is that of the Palestinians as a people.
The Israeli state doesn't want to actually exterminate the Palestinians themselves, but to erase the Palestinian identity and connection to the land. Why else does it continue to reduce the area of a viable Palestinian state with the wall and continued settlement building.
Israel has achieved security at the expense of its smokescreen of legitimacy and morality. It is up to the rest of us to see through their spin.
#Rory
I'm saddened that you are happy to call me 'extremist scum' when my post simply stated that its disgusts me that people condone the use of chemical weapons, cluster bombs, collective punishment and numerous atrocities on a civilian population. If that makes me an extremist in your eyes then you have lost any trace of humanity like the others who are blinded to by their own hatred and defend such actions. The real cowards are those that defend such brutality and state sponsored racism and terror.
I'd like to echo post #89 to enlighten some of those that are happy throw ism's about the place and are spewing quite a lot of hatred themselves.
"The reason most Irish people support the Palestinian cause is because we were also colonised/ethnically cleansed and feel it is wrong by any objective standard. Nothing to do with antisemitism, liberalism, or any other -ism." - we should feel no shame in standing up for those who are ill treated and in need of help.
If you take sides with a violent oppressor of people like the Israeli Occupation Forces then you cannot be surprised that those opposed to such oppression will criticise you. The Palestinians are fighting for their freedom against a brutal occupation. Many Irish people recognise that. That's why you are criticised and rightly so!
So, Seano, "the only genocide that seems to be on the cards now is that of the Palestinians as a people". Take a look at the Hamas charter http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm. I am amazed at the tolerance of Israelis towards non-Jews. In the parts of Palestine that were captured by Arab armies in 1948, not one synagogue remained standing. In the remainder of the Arab and Muslim world, Jews experienced massacres and left those countries, such as Iraq, Egypt and Morocco, where they had lived for centuries, for the safety of Israel. Yet they did not and do not persecute the Arabs who remain in Israel. When a rocket, launched from Gaza falls on Ashkelon, there are no mobs of Jews burning down Mosques. Contrast that to the response, say, of the Dutch, to one act of Muslim terrorism. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/400....
God bless you Cliona. You are indeed one of the Israel of God. Hold your head high and praise the God of Israel and my God. Mizpah! There is no land of Palestine it is all Israel, God's land.
Be proud of yourself for volunteering for the IDF! Thank you. d
"IDF murdered nine passengers on board one of the boats."
Bogus- first the commandos used paintball guns, then they resulted to pulling their pistols where they shot at knees, then when their lives were threatened by terrorists with lethal weapons they shot and killed.
These are trained seals that could have sank this boat or killed everybody, but instead they didn't go all rambo about it. Instead, they too sustained a lot of injuries. Clearly they were responding with necessary measures...even if sadly, 9 died.
Not all jewish people support the terrorist state of Israel. Israel has even aressted holocaust survivors who have tried to bring aid to palestine!
Go Cliona,go! Don't take any notice of these uneducated and malicious ignorami! As for those who think the Israelis want to commit genocide against the Palestinians, it is the reverse - 300 million Arabs and 1 billion Muslims would dearly love to do away with Israel, 0.01 percent of the Middle East!
Likewise, I am descended from the Pork Butcher, Niall of the nine sausages from Donegal,have a (4 year?) MA in middle eastern studies, a PHD in Political Science from Scotland (University of Gorbals) and would therefore encourage anyone who wants to have an understanding of middle eastern affairs, to go to Israel, but also go to other areas as well.
Joining the IDF as a volunteer? might not give you a fair and balanced opinion, but fair play to Cliona- she has shown a lot more courage than some of the Cretins (is that anti-semitic?) writing on this board...
For those above who seem to fail to understand that Israel is an apartheid and colonialist entity, please read the study published by the South African Human Sciences Research Council 2009 http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Media_Release-3...
Israel clearly practises the three pillars of apartheid.
'the first pillar "derives from Israeli laws and policies that establish Jewish identity for purposes of law and afford a preferential legal status and material benefits to Jews over non-Jews".
The second pillar is reflected in "Israel's 'grand' policy to fragment the OPT [and] ensure that Palestinians remain confined to the reserves designated for them while Israeli Jews are prohibited from entering those reserves but enjoy freedom of movement throughout the rest of the Palestinian territory. This policy is evidenced by Israel's extensive appropriation of Palestinian land, which continues to shrink the territorial space available to Palestinians; the hermetic closure and isolation of the Gaza Strip from the rest of the OPT; the deliberate severing of East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank; and the appropriation and construction policies serving to carve up the West Bank into an intricate and well-serviced network of connected settlements for Jewish-Israelis and an archipelago of besieged and non-contiguous enclaves for Palestinians".
The third pillar is "Israel's invocation of 'security' to validate sweeping restrictions on Palestinian freedom of opinion, expression, assembly, association and movement [to] mask a true underlying intent to suppress dissent to its system of domination and thereby maintain control over Palestinians as a group."'
Ari, the following statement is factually correct:
"IDF murdered nine passengers on board one of the boats."
Stop defending the indefensible.
Seems to me Cliona has the same moral and legal right to volunteer for the IDF as the Irish citizens who joined the flotilla did to volunteer for it. I'm sure they ontained very different perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but at least they elected to obtain a first hand perspective unlike "the many long-rifle men" who elect to pontificate from Ireland. And, thankfully, neither she, nor an Irish person, who joined Hamas, could be stripped of their Irish citizenship under the Defence Act 1954 or and other enactment.
dont be so hard on her..., the last time i looked the Campbells were turncoat Scots who sold out to the English...
I really am worried about what sort of people that are wandering amongst us when I read the comments above. I can only hope that the people on this page who are in support of this person are not on Irish soil because if they reside in this Country we not only have an economic crisis but a moral one. As I have said before and want to say again, HOW DARE YOU.
Hope you got to shoot a few of those wicked Palestinians , Cliona.
The Palestinians should be happy that they are ruled by an Israeli democracy and not a totalitarian state.
Good on you for finding out the facts for yourself.
Shame for being abused for having a opinion different to the intolerant ones.
The IDF did not murder, but killed in defense of their own lives in a declared war zone.
to #105 Jin posted on August 15, 2010 at 12:11 p.m.
"...please read the study published by the South African Human Sciences Research Council 2009". equally good you can quote the Congo Society for Penguin Preservation.
1. "'the first pillar "derives from Israeli laws and policies that establish Jewish identity for purposes of law". True, let's see how it works: Arabs are not oblige to serve 3 years in the army; You can immigrate to Israel as a Jew, but not as any other national, not even as Irish. On the other hand can I legally immigrate to Ireland based on a fact that I'm a Chinese? There are some other small differences as well, for example Arabs, as minority, are usually exempt of land tax (5%-10% of average income). Elections, civil right, education are equal for both. Sure schools are better in Israeli cities, guess why.
2. "The second pillar is reflected in "Israel's 'grand' policy to fragment the OPT [and] ensure that Palestinians remain confined to the reserves designated for them". I agree, a much better policy would be to let them go to Jordan, Egypt or any other 22 Arabic countries or 50 Muslim countries and leave Israel alone. Many people in Israel would love to pay them money to leave and many Arabs would love to go, but there is one problem: nobody wants them.
3. "The third pillar is "Israel's invocation of 'security' to validate sweeping restrictions on Palestinian freedom of opinion, expression, assembly..." Look, it's simple: 2003 -- no security fence -- approximately 10 casualties a month. 2010 there is a security fence -- zero casualties each month. A question is how much is a meter of fence...
to: #101 Roger posted August 15, 2010 at 1:20 a.m.
"Israel has even aressted holocaust survivors who have tried to bring aid to palestine!"
Lie. Israel brought the ship to Ashdod, checked the cargo put it on wheel tracks and sent all allowed items to Gaza. Hamas did not accept it, perhaps was not sufficiently "halal" for them. All the dogs were sent out of the country the next day. btw being a Holocaust survival does not prevent of being a scum.
Raymond Deane and his cohorts, those virulent anti-semites disguised as anti-Zionists show their true colours in their hatred of anything and anyone who wishes to help the Jewish State. The Islamic State of Iran as well as Libya is not derided for wanting to kill Jews and for supporting the Hizbollah and Hamas terrorist regimes including the Real IRA.
Zion, that wonderful hill in Jerusalem where the destroyed Temple once stood and now contains that disgusting tribute to Islamic terrorism. is their symbol. Palestinians, who are they? Where were they before the Arabs started the 1948 war and the 1967 war? Who was their President and what passports did they use? What was their unit of currency? What was their Capitol city and where was their parliment?
Out of nowhere came the Egyptian born Russian backed(KGP) terrorist leader called Arafat who probagated the myth of the Arabs and the dreams of the defeated caliphs to try and regain control of an area that was once ruled by Islam for 22 years in the history of the Middle East. When the British colonists brought in Arab workers from the Mahgreb, Kuwait (Iraq) and French Syria to work, they remained and later joined the free food handouts when they fled after trying to kill off the few Jews after the Christian onslaught in Europe. How come the Jewish refugees (800,000) are not still in camps and work for a living? Why cannot Arabs states offer their own people citizenship? They are Arabs and yet after 62 years they are still begging and stateless. This is what Deane and his Anti-Jewish Zionist action group should be asking.
No. They find it easier to attack a girl who supports a free democratic society.
How cowardly have they all become. The Nazis were no different
@ Maire, 109. I am on Irish soil and am proud to have served in the Israeli Defence Forces. It is people like you and the others that are attacking Cliona who should be ashamed, unless of course you are proud to support Hamas and their history of suicide bombing school buses, shopping centres, hospitals and coffee shops
#100 Ari"IDF murdered nine passengers on board one of the boats."
Bogus- first the commandos used paintball guns, then they resulted to pulling their pistols where they shot at knees, then when their lives were threatened by terrorists with lethal weapons they shot and killed.
......Clearly they were responding with necessary measures...even if sadly, 9 died."
Bloody Sunday: Thirteen people were shot and killed, with another man later dying of his wounds. The official army position, backed by the British Home Secretary was that the paratroopers had reacted to the gun and nail bomb attacks from suspected IRA members.
Just goes to show it depends on where you get your news from (though special forces with PAINTBALL guns, instead of rubber bullets or blanks sounds a bit Roy of the Rovers). Listening to the home secretary of the time I bet most British were well satisfied that the troublesome Irish got their comuppance that day, and that all involved were without doubt terrorist scum.
#98 - "God bless you Cliona. You are indeed one of the Israel of God. Hold your head high and praise the God of Israel and my God. Mizpah! There is no land of Palestine it is all Israel, God's land."
#114 - "All the dogs were sent out of the country the next day. btw being a Holocaust survival does not prevent of being a scum."
It appears that some Israeli's see humans as dogs so they can murder them with impunity and their claim on Palestine land is based on the old testament. They do a great disservice to their religion
For the fools who condemn this excellent young woman for her civilian sojourn with the IDF, I reserve nothing but contempt. I will not deign to accuse them of anti-semitism, because that will roll right off their slimy backs. We Jews have leaned from experience that we will not be loved b the rest of the world. So, to those who hate us: go to Hell. We will defend ourselves from your garbage.
I am deeply saddened that my pleasant visits to Ireland will end. I have no desire to mingle with idiots!
Cliona
Congratulations to you.
My New York friend Jack lauber askd me to get this message to you
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jack Lauber
Sent: 16 August 2010 18:05
To: O'Brien, Pat
Subject: RE: Irish girl attacked for her support of Israel
Pat,
I just sent the following comments to the Irish Tribune.
I'm a Jew who suffered Irish Catholic anti-Semitism as a child in New York. However I later helped an Irish widow fight a pollution case in Co. Cork.
Sadly many Irish support the phony Palestinian victim propaganda. There is a Palestinian state, Jordan on 80% of Palestinian land, created by Britain in 1922. Do you know that some Irishmen supported the Nazis in WW2, and that Palestinian Arabs had a Nazi SS Division in Croatia killing Christian Serbs and Jews? Sadly many Irish still suffer from their ancient irrational hatred of Jews.
About 700,000 Arabs left Israel following their leaders' orders in 1948.
Over 800,000 Jews were expelled by Arab nations and most resettled in Israel.
Irishmen who believe in Judeo-Christian
values and democracy should support Cliona Campbell and her valiant support of Israel.
Cliona - I have lived in the ME and know the situation. many of the negative Irish comments you received are from dim witted ignorant Irish people the type that would have been Nazii sympatisers
Best Wishes
pat
@Russell, If I had anything to do with you and the rest of this one's supporters you would be on a one way trip to Israel and I would remove your passports forever. The Irish people support Palestine and I am proud of the Irish people for doing so. How can any right thinking person say God Bless her, you are not Irish and neither are the rest of her supporters on this page. God bless all the right thinking people who risked their lives on the flotilla and those who died at the hands of terrorist (THE ISRAEL ARMY) God Bless Palestine and all it's poor tortured people.
Great article, convinced me even more to apply myself, Israel is here to stay
Fair play to the girl. I want to do this now myself. I am a former FCA/RDF Officer so I will be of some use to the IDF.
The blinkered view of the idiot left in Ireland seems to know no bounds, aided and abetted by the vast majority of the media here.
Well done, Cliona. I am in awe of this young Irish woman for managing somehow to see past the anti-Israel propaganda so widespread and dominant in Ireland, at such a young age. It's very simple. In any conflict between a democracy and its non-democratic enemies, pick the democracy. You will never be embarrassed by your choice. Unlike those many western intellectuals who in their day supported Stalin, Mao, North Vietnam and so on. The day Gaza ends sharia law, has a parliamentary opposition (that is not shot), and has gay pride marches (like Israel does) is the day I will start to develop sympathy for the Palestinian cause. (But of course if Gaza was like that, there would be no problem. Israel would love it and support it all the way.)
After reading the young lady's article regarding her period of voluntary service here in Israel I feel I must commend and thank her for her noble contribution.
However my constant awe of Ireland has grown enormously as I read many of the comments. I have always considered Ireland as a land of culture, wit, music and literature. Now I realize it is also truly a land of miracles.
I believe that these letters attacking her are proof of the latter, for nowhere else in the world could we find so many more horses' asses than horses!
Erin Go Broke!
To all you lovers of the racist zionist Jewish colony, have a look at the following link to see some of what Ms. Campbell would have learned in the IDF.
Standard behaviour in the zionist Jewish colony.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,73...
"Ex-soldier presents cuffed Palestinian friends"
To Mark Humphrys #124
1) The zionist colony is a Democracy only for Jews (although Arab Jews are treated as second class citizens there). But Different laws apply to non-Jews.
Read the book: “The Other Side of Israel” by an honest Jew called Susan Nathan.
2) How would you like it if I attacked you, killed half your family, threw the other half into the bog and took your house, your land and most of your country?
Would that be acceptable to you?
Would you accept it better if I told you that God gave me your land?
Perhaps it would be more acceptable if I told you that I am a descendant of a people who converted to the religion of the Celtic Druids and therefore I have an automatic right to claim Ireland as my country and it is “my Celtic” God given right that I ethnic cleanse you and the rest of your blessed tribe from Ireland. Would that be acceptable to you?
What happens in the Middle East will directly affect your children and grand children in the future.
So instead of pontificating about democracy and Catholic or Jewish or Muslim laws perhaps you might use your grey cells to resolve a human rights issue in "the Holy Land" and help spread justice and peace in the world.
(by the way the word sharia means law in Arabic, so to say "sharia law" is tautology)
#120: "the negative Irish comments you received are from dim witted ignorant Irish people the type that would have been Nazii sympatisers"
#119:"I am deeply saddened that my pleasant visits to Ireland will end. I have no desire to mingle with idiots!"
I have absolutely no love or sympathy for Hamas,Hezbollah or the Fatah movement. However I do have great compassion and sympathy for the avarage Palestinian adult and especially children. In their treatment of these people I believe the Israeli forces have behaved appallingly regardless of provocation by the militants. If that makes me a dim witted nazi sympatiser or an idiot then I'm glad you and your opinions reside not in our country but abroad. In Ireland we are all welcome to voice our opinions no matter what they be.
The vitriol displayed by those purporting to support Israel in the posts above is a lot worse than anything Cliona's critics are using.
Many comments above are critical of the IDF policy and its multiple war crimes - use of chemical weapons on civilians, collective punishment etc.. and the only retort to these allegations is apparently to call Irish people names... idiots, horses asses, nazis, dogs, scum..
Treating fellow human beings like dogs, ignoring their rights and being blind to their suffering is disgusting and reprehensible - to have it enshrined in state policy is worthy of criticism. If you cannot grasp why people are DISGUSTED by the actions of the IDF then please take your blinkers off and reply without resorting to abuse.
#88 Tom commented, on August 13, 2010 at 7 p.m.:
Corrxxx: do you really think that if an Irish person went and trained with Fatah or Hamas, they would receive a comparable amount of vitriol? Now that IS naive.
If a young Irish teenager wrote an article glorifying his time training with Hamas then whingeing when not everyone saw the glory in that achievement, I would expect at the very least the considerable number of pro-Israel supporters who have posted above to have their say on this matter along with many more. That is not remotely Naive but at least your not resorting to petty name calling.
"Ben Gurion" you are talking nonsense in saying Israel is a democracy only for Jews. Arab Muslims living in Israel have the right to vote, freedom of speech, freedom to criticise the government, freedom of religion and freedom of sexuality (*). None of these things exist under Hamas in Gaza or under Fatah in the West Bank. Where is the peaceful parliamentary opposition criticising the government in Gaza or the West Bank? None of course is allowed to exist, because the Palestinians are not democrats. You are cool with sharia law despite its oppression of women, gays, lesbians, apostates and atheists. You are supporting non-democrats against democrats. You are no different from those who supported Lenin, Stalin and Mao.
(*) See mildly-NSFW images of Israeli Love Parade and gay pride: http://www.pbase.com/liork/parade__st...
@BEN The people on here commenting are not Irish, they could not be. Some of them may think they are Irish, but they are not, not with filth like this coming out of their mouths. You have to understand that a lot of people on this page have been watered down over the Centuries of British occupation , with British blood , so they are not the real Irish they are really Brits thinking they are Irish, speaking with a Brithish tongue and thinking like the British Terrorists think so you will have to excuse their ignorance, they can not help it, it is in their blood. The TRUE IRISH people on this page as you can see are civilized and know the difference between wright and wrong. As I am 100% Irish myself I condemn ISRAEL and this Cloe person for what they have done on Palestine and it's people. Maire.
This post was not put up last night so am reposting it today.
#94 Gary commented: “#Rory I'm saddened that you are happy to call me 'extremist scum' when my post simply stated that its disgusts me that people condone the use of chemical weapons, cluster bombs, collective punishment and numerous atrocities on a civilian population. If that makes me an extremist in your eyes then you have lost any trace of humanity like the others who are blinded to by their own hatred and defend such actions. The real cowards are those that defend such brutality and state sponsored racism and terror.”
I’ll assume the above was directed at myself. Gary I didn’t call you 'extremist scum' personally but referred to the sort of people who typically advance opinions like yours. If you are reasonably well informed you must surely know that you use lies and fabrication to reinforce your arguments. What Israel did in Gaza was tough no doubt but you and others continually strip it of context, minimise the consequences on Israel of Hamas’s aggression for several years (oh yeah they are home made flares not military grade 122mm Grad rockets!) and the list goes on. Now suddenly the jihadist intent of passengers on the Mavi Mariner is murder despite the fact there were no deaths on the other ships and the ship belonged to the IHH, an organisation which authorities around the world have linked with serious terrorist organisations. You also deny the Jews have a genuine claim to Israel. They typical lie you repeat is that it is only a “biblical claim”. Funny then that there is massive archaeological evidence, many ancient records that verify this truth and oh yes, Jews have lived there in dwindling numbers continuously since the fall of Jerusalem!
#128 Gary
The comments of people like yourself are not merely critical of the IDF. If the debate was fair and based on facts rather than fabrications repeated ad nauseum until they become orthodoxy, and extreme outrage is expressed at those daring to disagree even mildly, then all well and good. Problem is that it isn’t so refrain from playing the injured party talking about personal attacks. The truth is the pro-Palestinian dialogue is abusive and if you have any doubt just checkout the Guardian’s “Comment is free” section. Checkout Raymond Deane’s comments comparing a defence of Israel with a defence of Paedophilia. The moral is that if a person lies, lies and lies again it is entirely fair to question their character as people for they probably have an agenda. Yet your friends these pro-Palestinians by saying Cliona has in effect lost her Irish citizenship and is now a “terrorist” could easily be considered a threat to her life. That is why I expressed some uncharacteristic anger by referring to “extremist scum” above.
Cliona: Yours is an amazing story. Well done! You are an inspiration to us all.
@131 - Maire:
What an interesting comment. You are 100% Irish, I presume that what you are saying is that you have 100% Irish blood, untainted by any of the "mongrel" races. You are a "pure" Celt. How nice for you. And how nice for all of us that in your comment you reveal better than anyone else the "uber-rascist" crap that still raises its head from time to time. Maire: slither back under your Irish rock. You are stinking up your lovely Island.
Cliona, stay strong. The people who are attacking you are ignorant bigoted fools. I have done Sarel too, it is terrific.
Best wishes
Jonathan Hoffman
Co-Vice Chair, Zionist Federation of UK and Ireland
Maire - wasn't St Patrick "British". I think he was kidnapped and sold into slavery by the "Irish" at that time.
So to all the British offended by our violation of St Patrick's human rights I'd like to apologize. I'd also like to apologize for celebrating March 17th - I now realize it is like rubbing salt into old wounds.
The only way to understand what goes on in Israel and with its neighbours is to come here and see for yourself
Cliona has done this and the sad thing is that people do not want to hear the truth. You Cliona are welcome any time and thank you for your honesty and courage
Zelda
Tel Aviv
I am surprised that the Moderator allowed comment #131 to appear. To me it reeks of racist intolerance and hatred. It spews out of the kind of dogma that came to dominance in Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler and his co-criminals Joseph Goebbels, Henrich Himmler, Hermann Goering, Adolf Eichmann, etc. They promoted race purity and superiority - the idea that those of Germanic/Nordic origin were superior to all other races- and it seems Marie is emulating them. Marie should know that the Nazi's regarded the Irish as being inferior and regarded the English/British to be equal to the Germanic race. Had the Nazi's won the war and taken control of Ireland Irish natives would have been forced into slave labour. However I'm glad to see Mark Humphrys, comment #130, takes Ben Gurion to task and contradicts his misleading post. But it is interesting Ben Gurion does not criticize the rulers Israels's neighbours who oppress and abuse their own people. None of them have the freedoms that are guarnteed under Israel's constitution for all those living legally with Israeli borders.
Brava, Cliona for standing up for what you believe in. Jonathan Hoffman is right - your critics are deluded and bigoted fools who parrot what they have read or been told without bothering to find out whether it is true.
Zelda, such people do not want to have their delusions challenged. It'd unhinge them, but yours is an invitation typical of Israeli hospitality.
To the author of this piece - do get your facts straight! Israel did not "murder" nine people - if they were indeed murdered rather than shot in self-defence it's very likely that they done to death by the IHH themselves on board the Marmara with confiscated Israeli handguns.
Find out more at Honest Reporting or from JustJournalism.
It's rich that the Irish complain about you Cliona! I think you're wonderful and I hope you won't give in to all the bullying. The ignorance and hatred expressed by your detractors are far more shameful than anything you have done. Israel needs more friends like you. So thank you, and good luck. Walk tall!
Well done Cliona, Kol Ha-kavod. Don't let hatred and prejudice cloud your jugement. You are pure, your haters belong to the House of War.
Cliona - we love you!
Next time you are in Jerusalem -where I live - tell the media you are coming and there will be street parties for you!
Many, many thanks to all those who have stood by me, supported me and encouraged me in the face of such disgusting and hateful rhetoric. It is simply pitiful that some of my fellow citizens feel that they can justify intimidating, name calling and publicly harassing me because I went against their personal opinion. The day that only one side of the story will be apparent in the media is a very sad day indeed, and all those who fear hearing Israel’s side of the story must obviously harbour some kind of insecurity on the issue. This is not a dictatorship, where there is one voice, the last time I checked I live in a free country where people can express their views- and expression does not involve hounding someone in order to silence them. Because I can guarantee to anyone who has tried this tactic that I won’t be silenced, and I’ll continue exactly as I have done, no matter what they try to do.
Mr Humphrys #130, Following your logic, when the Irish were under the occupation of the British colonisers that meant the Irish were not democrats! Interesting logic.
Palestine is under a brutal military occupation since 1948 and unfortunately many people are cheering for the occupier no matter what, perhaps out of not knowing the truth.
Gaza and the WEST Bank are prisons they have been so since 1967. Do you know of inmates in any prison in Ireland who have instituted democracy or elected a government to run their affairs in prison? Despite being in prison the Palestinians had a fair and transparent election and elected Hamas (that does not mean I support Hamas, before you jump to conclusions again). But war criminal GW Bush, the zionist government in cahoots with some corrupt Fatah representatives proceeded to try to scuttle the result of the election. That unfortunately led to the division in Palestinian ranks etc.. Divide and conquer, sounds familiar?
You mentioned Arab Muslims but forgot the Arab Christians. But why not refer to them as Palestinian Muslims and Palestinian Christians or just Palestinians? Normally zionists do not want to admit that there is a people, the Palestinians, who have been totally wronged and to whom a great injustice has been done through no fault of their own.
All the freedoms you mentioned are freedoms only on paper. Take for example 2 freedoms you mentioned: Freedom of speech and freedom to criticize the government. Precisely what Professor Naom Chomsky uses in relation to israel sometimes.
Well Professor Chomsky was denied entry to the zionist colony in May 2010?
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/...
As you probably know Professor Chomsky is an honest American Jewish intellectual. So if the zionists do that to him, imagine what they do to the Palestinians who speak up or criticize! There are over 10000 Palestinians in jail in the zionist colony many of whom are there for long periods without any charges being made or due legal process taken, not to mention the women and children among them. Some democracy you are defending. You are defending the indefensible: colonialism and ethnic cleansing.
I suggest that you read the following book: “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine” by a great honest Israeli Jewish academic historian called Ilan Pappe.
Mind you, he had to leave the zionist colony after this book was published! He now lives in the UK. Another example of the kind of democracy you are defending.
Like many in the West you are taken in by the deception and propaganda that the zionist colony spreads very cunningly around the world. You are certainly not alone in that respect.
Truly there is a grave human rights issue in the Middle East in general and in Palestine in particular. It needs the wisdom, courage and patience of mother Theresa and Ghandi and the proverbial King Solomon put together, to resolve it before it is too late.
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Campbell says: "If I was a man coming back from being in the IDF, there would be none of that."
She's probably right that the criticisms would take a different form, but wrong if she's implying that an Irishman serving with the Israeli Occupying Forces would not be subject to criticism.
The IOF (it doesn't "defend" anything) is a lawless institution the ultimate purpose of which is to complete on the ground the Zionist project of disposession and slow genocide of the indigenous Palestinian people.
To volunteer to be part of such an obscenity is ;quite simply shameful - and the gender of the volunteer is irrelevant!