Judging by the majority of comments here, people from all over are starting to realize who the real enemy of peace, freedom , truth and justice are.... and it aint the American People, and it aint the rest of the truth and justice loving people in the world either... To you all who dont care to know what's really happening to the U.S. and the World as a result U.S., UK and israeli, etc. policy, go seek out the "official story"... the rest of us can only stand to hear the truth these days.

Peace, truth, and justice to all, in spite of it's enemies.

Posted by GoodAmerican | 10.08.09, 18:23 GMT

I have an Irish Jewish friend, and his relevance to an argument about Israel's treatment of the Palestinians is about as relevant as my Protestant friends are to an argument about American civil rights and the treatment of black people in the 1960s......

It saddens me that Israeli's (not Jews) cannot see how their actions are viewed by the outside world and instead rely on a belief that they are a persecuted nation / religion.

Israel's actions are only accepted by a minority of Christians belief that the bible is a book of phrophecy that dictates how Israel should be treated, all other right thinking nations correctly oppose their actions as they would those of Hamas and other violent Palestinian groups.

Posted by Bren | 07.08.09, 19:29 GMT

Aoife, has the demise of the so-called "Celtic tiger" exacerbated the venom that Irish "pro-Palestine activists" feel towards Israel? Do they blame "the Jews" for that? Or is it just a continuation of the racial bigotry of De Valera and Russell?

Posted by Lonny | 07.08.09, 16:02 GMT

Oh here we go again, people tying to defend the indefensible. Israel acts with impunity and people are fed up. Israel is a rogue state and no amount of Zionist hasbara can hide that now clearly exposed fact. Also, may I point out an article published today in the NYpost, a pro Israeli paper, which not only takes a swipe at Robinson but also the Catholic religion. Note the title: (this won’t be lost on Irish people who can clearly recognise racism and bigotry)

"jews rip o hail mary”
google it!

Posted by Aoife | 07.08.09, 13:25 GMT

I read some of the postings here, and I think thank God for the state of Israel. Thank you for reminding me why we need a Jewish state.

Posted by Av | 06.08.09, 10:11 GMT

Let’s re-cap on Durban in 2001. Anti-Israel protesters jeered "Zionism is racism, Israel is apartheid," and fliers depicting Hitler with the question, "What if I had won?" circulated among conference attendees. Their answer: "There would be No Israel and No Palestinian bloodshed."
The final resolution called Israel "a racist apartheid state," guilty of "systematic perpetration of racist crimes including war crimes, acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing and state terror against the Palestinian people." Mary Robinson, called the allegations "inappropriate and unacceptable," but did not reject the document. These are the facts. I think that given the attempts to confer special racist status on Israel it is legitimate to question Mary Robinson’s suitability for this medal given that she refused to reject this document. This is not bullying but a principled stand. I wish I could say the same for most of the posts on this sordid thread.

Posted by alex benjamin | 06.08.09, 09:59 GMT

The anti-semitic comments posted below ( allegations that Jewish bankers are plotting to destroy the world and so on ) show why Israel's friend need to continue to be vigilant.

Posted by Colin Armstrong | 06.08.09, 09:27 GMT

I wonder if most tax-paying citizens of United States realise that their country gives Israel $3 billion annually?

Posted by Pax Tayer | 06.08.09, 03:45 GMT

perhaps now Israel will turn down the two billion dollars a year the US donates and the Us can then give it to Palestine to help rebuild the unwarranted destruction .of Palestinian cities.Israelis when forced by their own government to leave settlements they bulldoze them so palestinians cant use them.They also seem to use the slightest excuse to resume attacks,Mary deserves any accolade she gets Bill M

Posted by William Morrow | 05.08.09, 23:21 GMT

"bullying" rather than usual accusation of "controlling" because in this very public instance, Jewish influence failed to prevent the award from Mr. Obama to Ms. Robinson.

But the switch from the usual antisemitic canard of "controlling" or "manipulating" to "bullying" is transparent.

In fact every interest group tries to influence. You hear Saudi-sponsored radio ads in Washington, DC. Efforts by pro-Arab groups to bully Israel are all around. Yes they are there you don't have to look too far.

If Robinson truly believes that "bullying" isn`t routine, by everyone, she is beyond naive. But disingenousness is far more likely than naivete. And her comment shows she sees "the Jews" as the enemy. Not "the Israelis."

Many Jews are not zionist,can any of you showing your unwavering support for the former President tell the difference or even care?.

Posted by Mark Hammond | 05.08.09, 22:33 GMT

Mary Robinson's comments were awful.Her comments have led to Jew bashing which is clear from some of the former comments.
Irish Jews are a tiny minority.So small they certainly couldn't be accused of having any affect on policy.

As for the so called Powerfull Zionist lobby,If they actually were so 'Powerfull' surely the image of Israel would be portrayed more positively.Surely politicans who bashed Israel would be silenced.It doesn't happen.The form of Anti Semitism accusing Jews of being a powerfull lobby.Seems to still exist even though the Protocols of Zion has been shown as a fake.

Posted by Barry | 05.08.09, 19:32 GMT

Oh Dear,

As an Israeli Jew and newcomer to Belfast I am amazed at some of the comments here. So according to some people here me and my mates control the media, the banks, killed Jesus and spend all our time meddling, plotting, making other countries go to war with nations which are no threat to us and (my favourite) invented nuclear weapons and trying to start a nuclear war.

I suggest that first, look at the Israeli political system and see how brilliantly that is run. Ask yourselves, if they can't even run their own politics, how can they contrive others? Go to any Israeli bank and all you will find is chaos not conspiracy.

Israeli lobby groups are not Israel and are not elected officials. Its like saying NORAID represents all Irishmen. I am a harsh critic of Israel, opposed the attack on Gaza and have failed to present myself for reserve duty for 15 years. To hear such tired cliches like "control" of banks, media and secret plots is quite depressing.

Posted by Bobbi | 05.08.09, 19:15 GMT

David, sorry, is this your view or is it the view of your friend. To put it politely, your arrogance knows no bounds.
Transference? You obviously have little, or no knowledge of Ireland to suggest such a ludicrious assumption.
Israel has presented itself to the world so that we can see what it really is. Trying to blanket-ban press earlier this year failed to prevent the world seeing the atrocities that it is capable of. Trust me, no charm offensive or propaganda will deter the truth from spreading.
Does it matter to Israel what people think in Ireland? It should. As the intolerance for Israel's behaviour continues around the world, friends begin to diminish. Even the great USA rethinking its position.

Posted by Ulysses32 | 05.08.09, 13:44 GMT

Nice diatribe David Maxwell to defend one of the worst anti-Irish statements I’ve heard in years.

The reality of the situation is David that maybe after having lived under the occupation of and having suffered at the hands of an overwhelming military might the Irish might be in a unique position to understand the plight of the Palestinians.

In 1916 people jeered the Irish volunteers, until the Helga sailed into Dublin bay to help level the city. Maybe Israel needs to look at its own racist policies and appalling human rights record and how others perceive them?

Posted by Bren | 05.08.09, 10:32 GMT

1. Mary Robinson is a career politician who has a decades-long reputation for courting publicity.

False, she is a career academic who works for the UN.

2. ... don't understand why so many Irish folks get so worked up on this particular issue.

Untrue, "Irish people" do not get worked up about this, how many Irish people did you meet then David?

3. Perhaps there is envy among some Irish "activists" at the power of Israel and of its bond with the USA.

Rubbish.

You are ill-informed, evidently biased against "Irish people". Your pop-psychology and half-baked notions expose you as an idiot, and demonstrate that your little knowledge is dangerous.

Posted by Séamus | 05.08.09, 08:47 GMT

dont you just get sick and tired about the ravings off "jewish lobby groups"oooopssssss makes me an anti semite i guess. ya know whats important..i dont give a fiddlers.
congratulations ms. robinson you desevre it.

Posted by billy | 05.08.09, 04:47 GMT

Is it anti-semitic to say that the central bankers made the decision in 1946 to destroy the human race with nuclear weapons?

At this very moment they are still trying to trigger a nuclear war to demonstrate once and for all who is really superior. Is that 'Chutzpah' or what?

Posted by Patrick Sullivan | 05.08.09, 03:44 GMT

I'd just like to add that Nazis also exterminated gays, gypsies and the disabled. Everybody remembers the Jews but forgets the rest.

Posted by GGD | 05.08.09, 03:15 GMT

"the world has retired the word 'anti semitism", " Anti Semitism is tool a used by EVIL Zionists to keep the world from discussing the truth", "Since 1945 the world has been blackmailed by the Jewish lobby"

Just some quotes from the comments that confirm the impression here in the United States that Ireland and Europe support Palestinian terrorism and violence as justified. Of course, the Palestinians do not share any responsibility for the situation, despite their embrace of corruption and rejection of all peace agreements. You certainly deserve Mary Robinson with her efforts at appeasement and moral equivalence. I only wish you could take Obama off our hands before he ruins this country.

Posted by Dan | 05.08.09, 01:59 GMT

I am sick to death of Israel trying to dictate what decisions each country may take. They are meddling all around the world, which Speaker should be allowed, which Professor may be invited to Universities, which book should be promoted, on and on and on. Must President Obama seek Israel´s approval before honouring those people on whom he wishes to bestow honour?

Mary Robinson is a much admired, successful woman. Part of Israel´s problem with Ms. Robinson is that she had been prepared to take a U.N. team to investigate the Jenin massacre. She was denied a visa and permission to enter the country. Caterpillars bulldozed all the evidence and it was declared that no massacre had taken place. So she has been on their hate list and nothing is forgotten.

Posted by Hya | 04.08.09, 23:57 GMT