Greenwashing genocide
St Patrick’s celebrations at the White House
Jon Morris
26 February 2024
Leo Varadkar presents the bowl of Shamrock
to Joe Biden.
In terms of the most shameful day in Irish diplomacy historians nearly always identify May 2nd 1945 when Taoiseach and minister for external affairs Eamon de Valera visited the German embassy in Dublin to offer formal condolences on the death of Adolf Hitler (the Nazi leader shot himself at his bunker in Berlin on April 30th 1945).(1) However, the upcoming St Patrick’s celebrations at the White House, hosted by the Biden administration, may well relegate De Valera’s infamous act into second place.
At the time of writing the Israeli assault on Gaza has claimed the lives of over 30,000 Palestinians including 12,000 children. Over one million Palestinians are corralled into a small geographic area in and around the city of Rafah on the Egyptian border as they await a looming Israeli offensive that threatens to drive them into the Sinai desert. It is widely recognised that Israel is engaged in genocide and ethnic cleansing. However, it is also the case that Israel is not acting alone; it has a partner in these crimes and that partner is the government of the United States. It would be impossible for Israel to act in the way it has without political and material support from the US. The Biden Administration has supplied the weapons that are being used by the IDF in its onslaught on Gaza; diplomatically shielded Israel by vetoing, on three occasions, a ceasefire resolution brought before the UN Security Council; rejected the judgement of the ICJ that there was a plausible case that genocide is being perpetrated by Israel; and defunded the UN Palestinian relief agency -UNRWA (in practice the imposition of a starvation policy on the people of Gaza). When all this is taken into account the moniker “Genocide Joe” is one that fits Joe Biden very well.
In its metrics the Israeli assault on the Palestinian population of Gaza is in the same category as the crimes committed by the Nazis during WWII. The closest comparisons being the suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943, and the suppression of the wider revolt in the city the following year. The difference between then and now is that we are witnessing the atrocities being played out in real time and in full view. Apologists for De Valera claim that he would not have been aware of the full horrors committed by the Nazi regime until later. However, contemporary political leaders have no such excuse. The Irish politicians who attend the upcoming St Patrick's celebrations at the White House know exactly what they are associating themselves with.
The Irish government had probably hoped that Israel’s operation in Gaza would have concluded by the time the St Patrick’s events at the White House rolled around. As it stands this is not likely to be the case with all the signs suggesting that the bloodiest phase of the Israeli offensive is still ahead. In these circumstances Irish government leaders, conscious of widespread public disapproval, are flailing around desperately to justify their attendance at the White House. Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said that the event could contribute to increasing international pressure to stop the violence. In support of this he has made the claim that:
“the US administration is now seeking to not only get an end to violence, but also to create a political track to ensure that there is a Palestinian state, that we get a two-state solution to this.”(2)This is absolutely risible when it is obvious that the Biden Administration is not only supporting Israel's continuing onslaught on Gaza but by its attacks in Yemen, Syria and Iraq is also risking a wider war.
Imperialism
The stance of the parties that comprise the current Irish government is unsurprising given their record of support for US imperialist interests. On a range of geopolitical issues, from the war in Ukraine to confrontation with the Peoples’ Republic of China, the Irish government has firmly aligned itself with the United States. This has not been solely rhetorical but also material. The most obvious example has been the use of Shannon airport by the US military in the numerous operations that it has conducted in Europe and the Middle East over the past 20 years. This military co-operation has escalated in recent years with the Irish military becoming increasingly integrated into the structures of NATO. The Irish state has been directly involved in the war in Ukraine through the training of Ukrainian military personnel in mine laying and the use of weapons. All of this is taking place despite claims of continued military neutrality.
Of course, the Irish state has never been, nor has it claimed to be, politically neutral. From its inception in the 1920’s the Irish state, through all its various government formations, has been pro-imperialist, first in favour of Britain and more latterly in favour of the United States. The Irish state has always sought to fit itself into the system of imperialism. In the 21st century this has been most evident in the economy with the Irish state acting as a tax haven for US corporations. US companies dominate in terms of productive investment based in Ireland and also, through the ownership of residential and commercial property, the rent extraction sector. Ireland is dominated by imperialism with the economy and society being consciously shaped by successive governments to serve this interest.
This is the material reality and this is what weighs most in deliberations by the Irish government on what positions to adopt on geopolitical questions. The question of Palestine is no exception. While Ireland as a nation has got a reputation for being sympathetic towards the cause of Palestinians the record of the Irish government is no better than most other European states. It will make gestures and express concerns in response to public opinion but these, such as the recent call for the EU to review its relations with Israel(3), are largely tokenistic and without consequence. Calls for substantive action, such as expelling the Israeli ambassador, instituting sanctions against Israel or supporting the genocide case at the ICJ, have been rejected. The suggestion of boycotting the Biden Administration which, by its political and military support for Israel, bears the greatest responsibility for the violence being done to the Palestinians, is immediately dismissed. While the Irish government may feel compelled to gesture towards public opinion it is in no way shape or form in solidarity with Palestine.
Sinn Féin
Joe Biden with Mary Lou McDonald &
Michelle O'Neill.
The major party in Ireland that does claim to be in solidarity with Palestine is Sinn Féin. This is why its recent positioning on the issue, the delay in calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the refusal to boycott the upcoming St Patrick’s event at the White House, has caused so much consternation.
The Sinn Féin position on the latter is almost identical to that of the Irish government. Mary Lou McDonald stated as early as December 2023 that she would not be in favour of boycotting the St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House over US support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza. She studiously avoided mentioning the Biden Administration instead framing her response in vague terms such as “the Irish relationship with the United States.” Any mild criticism was overwhelmed by praise for the role the United States plays in the world:
“America is very much on the right side of things in terms of the Irish peace process. I would like to see the United States very much on the right side of building peace in the Middle East,” she said.(4)This very much fits within the Sinn Féin perspective of US imperialism playing a progressive role in Ireland. Yet the reality is that the interests of US imperialism are the same all over the world. Just because there are no missiles flying overhead doesn’t mean that the US isn’t seeking to dominate. If the US supports the peace process in Ireland it is because it is the most effective means to secure its interests.
Sinn Féin often justifies its positions by claiming that it is acting in accordance with the wishes of Palestinians. However, its definition of Palestinians is very narrow and is really just a reference to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Sinn Féin promotes the PA as the authoritative voice of Palestinians despite it being a thoroughly corrupt entity that has a very low standing in Palestine and among the Palestinian diaspora. This came into focus recently when three Palestinian activists were ejected from a Sinn Féin organised rally in Belfast for protesting the presence of the Palestinian Authority ambassador to Ireland.(5) Some of the most trenchant criticism of the PA has come from Palestinians within the solidarity movement. A Palestinian speaker at the recent Gaels for Palestine rally in Belfast likened the Fatah-controlled administration to the Vichy regime, which collaborated with the Nazis in wartime France. He also called out Irish politicians who accepted President Joe Biden’s invitation to Washington DC saying they were “no friends of Palestine”.(6)
Another claim made by Sinn Fein to justify its interaction with US officials is that they use such opportunities to press the case for Palestine. In a recent statement a spokesperson for the party claimed that:
“We will use every political and diplomatic opportunity and influence that we have to be a voice for Palestine, to demand an end to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, for Palestinian statehood and for a permanent ceasefire now.”(7)However, there is no evidence to support such a claim. During Biden’s visit to Ireland in April of last year Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald explicitly ruled out raising the issue of Palestine in her scheduled meeting with the US President.(8) Over the duration of the ongoing onslaught on Gaza Sinn Féin representatives have had numerous encounters with Biden administration officials; from the US economic envoy to NI to Joe Kennedy III(9); the US ambassador to the UK(10); and most notably of all the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken(11); without any indication from the readouts of these meetings that the issue of Palestine had been raised.
While there are similarities to the earlier episode when the party was called out for its refusal to call for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, this time the situation is more serious. Sinn Féin could ride out the storm over the ambassador by eventually issuing an ambiguous statement that called for the temporary downgrading of diplomatic relations with Israel. However, the decision to attend St Patrick's events at the White House is much more fundamental and strategic for Sinn Féin. It is an opportunity for the party to present itself as a “responsible” party and to demonstrate that under a future Sinn Féin led government there will be continuity in Ireland's approach to international relations.
Sinn Féin will travel to Washington DC to lavish praise on Joe Biden as the US and its Israeli ally crush the Palestinians. If Israel sticks to its war plan for Gaza then the offensive against the 1.4 million Palestinian trapped in the city of Rafah will be underway around the same time as Irish politicians are presenting bowls of shamrock and raising their glasses.(12) The scenes at the White House will be a powerful symbol of Sinn Féin’s betrayal of the Palestinians. Yet such a betrayal is not new in the making. It is only the extreme nature of current events that is bringing to the fore what is already there. The reality is that Sinn Fein has had an ambiguous approach towards Palestine solidarity for some time which has seen the party breach numerous commitments.(13)
It is one element of a broader shift within Sinn Féin towards accommodation with and now open support for imperialism that has accelerated since the GFA and the establishment of devolved institutions in the North. In this schema, imperialism is ruled out as a negative actor in any conflict and moreover can play a positive role in bringing about a just peace. This was the Framework for Ireland which can also be applied to other parts of the world (including Palestine). Another example of Sinn Féin’s shifting position is the reversal of its policy of withdrawing Irish military personnel from EU and NATO linked bodies. On the war in Ukraine, it has been the most gung-ho party in the state calling for the expulsion of the Russian ambassador (there was no hesitation in that case). While some people may look at Sinn Féin and see a mass of contradictions there is actually a great deal of consistency in their approach and the consistent element is support for imperialism whether that be in Ireland, Ukraine or the Middle East.
Sinn Féin and the
United States
Sinn Féin has always
had an ambiguous approach to international work, presenting different faces
to different support bases. Appealing to a much more conservative
constituency in the US the party has tended to emphasise traditional Irish
nationalism above anything else. No mention of socialism and certainly
no attempt to draw parallels between the Irish struggle for self-determination
and comparable struggles in Africa and the Middle East. This was
in contrast to the approach in Ireland and across Europe where Sinn Fein
was eager to present itself as the equivalent of the ANC or the PLO. The
photographs of the murals below, which adorned walls in west Belfast in
the 1980’s, testify to that.
Murals in West Belfast 1980's.
It is notable that the slogan used in the mural related to Palestine is “One Struggle”. The message today is very different and could be summed up as “Ireland First” or more accurately “Sinn Féin First”. This position was set out recently by former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. Dismissing calls for a boycott of St Patrick’s events at the White House he stated that:
“What is important for us in the USA is Irish America . . . It’s those people who stayed with our struggle for centuries… and we should touch base with them and we shouldn’t lose them.”(14)Adams went on to say “serious people involved in struggle... understand that your own struggle … has to be your primary focus.” Without making any firm commitments he offered the Palestinians the vague hope that there could be an opportunity to "raise their issues".(15) The leadership of Sinn Féin no longer have any affinity with the cause of Palestine and have relegated it to a very low ranking. As Adams says what is most important to Sinn Féin is “Irish America''. This is really a euphemism for the America of corporate and political power, two of the pillars (alongside the military) of US imperialism.
It is true that Irish republicanism has always had a support base among people of Irish descent living in the United States. And while conservative in its politics it was grassroots in terms of its composition. This was epitomised by organisations such as NORAID, which for a long time was the main advocacy and fundraising arm of Irish Republicanism. However, since the development of the peace process in 1990’s the profile of Sinn Féin support in the US has become much more corporate with activity focused on attracting high value donors and accessing government officials. The main vehicle for this has been the group Friends of Sinn Féin (USA). It came into existence following the visit by Gerry Adams to the US in 1994 and has continued to lobby and fundraise in the years since. Over a twenty-year period (1995-2014) Sinn Féin raised $12 million from some of America's biggest construction companies as well as trade unions, Hollywood stars and small donors. The 15,000 donations received by Friends of Sinn Féin were the product of a fundraising effort unmatched by any other Irish political party in the US in modern times. Over this period philanthropist Chuck Feeney was the biggest single donor. Personally, and through two of his companies, he donated $780,000, which funded the establishment of a Friends of Sinn Féin office in Washington DC and the running of the office for three years.(16)
Over the last five years (2018-2023) the Friends of Sinn Féin organisation in the United States has generated more than $2 million in fundraising. However, Sinn Féin activity in the US is not just about raising money. Just as important if not more so is the establishment of links with politicians and government officials. Sinn Féin has access in Washington DC at levels many other political parties across the world could only dream about. US department of justice records show that in the six months to April 2023, Sinn Féin representatives met President Joe Biden, national security adviser Jake Sullivan as well as a host of senior politicians in the US Congress including former speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Democrats Richie Neal and Bill Keating. Democrat congressman Bill Keating from Massachusetts said he and his staff would be in touch quite often with Sinn Féin, both through the Friends of Ireland group on Capitol Hill and as a member of the House subcommittee on foreign affairs. Meetings with Sinn Féin and other Irish politicians can cover matters in Ireland, relations with the UK and the EU more generally as well as Ukraine, he said.(17) (yet again no mention of Palestine)
Sinn Fein facilitator
Sinn Féin also has links with the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) and, separately, an ad hoc group formed to protect the GFA which includes leading Irish Americans and former politicians, diplomats and academics. The AOH, the oldest and largest Irish-Catholic organisation in the US, often provides a bridge for Irish politicians to secure top-level access in Washington DC. In early June 2023 a recently-elected Republican politician from New York, Mike Lawler, organised a meeting between the AOH and his party’s top leadership. Lawler facilitated the AOH and the Sinn Féin delegation, which was in Washington DC at the same time, meeting McCarthy, the majority leader Steve Scalise and Mike McCaul, chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Former Republican congressman Peter King, a long-time friend of Sinn Féin, was also there. Sinn Féin has a long history with senior Democrats such as former speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate leader Chuck Schumer.(18)
Pro-Zionist
A notable feature of the political figures that Sinn Fein are engaging with in the United States is their ideological commitments. Many of them are pro-Zionist, not just in terms of token pledges of support for Israel, but in pursuing political careers in which pro-Israel advocacy is a central element.
Congressman Mike Lawler with Michelle
O’Neill.
Sinn Féin’s main interlocker on the visit mentioned above was New York Congressman Mike Lawler. In his first term of office the Republican Party representative has already established himself as a “lawmaker to watch” on Israel who has declared that he is working to “strengthen the relationship between the United States and Israel”.
He is a supporter of the Abraham Accords which he claims will be “pivotal” in moving toward an eventual Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. While not being specific on the content of any deal he explicitly rules out any form of self-government for Palestinians saying that “it’s been talked about for a long time” without success. Lawler has also been active in the push back on lawmakers and public figures promoting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel, which he claim “contributes greatly to antisemitism… and frankly incites the hatred that we see.”(19) He has co-sponsored the Antisemitism Awareness Act which would specifically target universities:
“We have seen a rapid rise in antisemitism on these college campuses, and we need to crack down on it,” Lawler said in a CNN interview. “This is not a free speech issue. This is hate speech.”(20)Lawler has claimed that anti-Zionist language is “putting people in jeopardy”. He said this was part of the reason he voted to censure Rashida Tlaib, the sole representative of Palestinian descent.(21)
Mike Lawler with Israeli President Isaac
Herzog.
Lawler was part of the group of US political representatives who made a three-day trip to the Middle East in the wake of the Oct 7th breakout from Gaza. The trip was sponsored by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and included a visit with relatives of some of the Israelis who were being held by Hamas.
"The United States must be resolute in our support for Israel. And I think it was important for a number of us on a bipartisan basis to be there and show that support," said Lawler.(22)The group was invited to a private intelligence briefing with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Afterwards Lawler heaped praise on Netanyahu and expressed his full support for the IDF’s assault on Gaza.
"This is a man of great resolve, and he wants to defend his country. Frankly, it reminded me of George W. Bush after 9/11. Someone who wanted to defend his country and protect his citizens at all costs," said Lawler. "This is a battle of good versus evil, and those were the words of Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is good versus evil, and good must prevail."(23)Lawler criticised Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown for publicly questioning Israel's ability to currently fully defeat Hamas.
"The chairman must recognize his words carry enormous weight in his new role, and they undermine Israel, our greatest ally, at the very moment much of the world has turned against them as they defend themselves."(24)He has described calls for a ceasefire as “ludicrous”.(25)
Donald Trump with Peter King
Lawler is very much the political successor to fellow Republican Peter King who was Long Island representative in Congress from 1993 to 2021. King was the US politician who was most closely aligned with Sinn Fein for the longest period. This dated from the 1980s, when the IRA was still active, through the ceasefires and Good Friday Agreement in the 1990’s and on to the establishment of devolved institutions at Stormont. On US domestic politics King’s positions were considered right wing even by the standards of the Republican Party. On geo-political issues he was resolutely pro-war and pro-Israel. While he has now transitioned into the role of a talk show radio host his opinions are in the same vein as those he held as an elected representative. This is him on the Oct 7th breakout from Gaza and the Israeli response:
I believe it is disgraceful and indefensible for so many in the media, in academia and in political circles to be suggesting, and acting as if, there were “two sides” to this war. As if Israel has to defend its military action, and somehow it is the Palestinians in Gaza who are victims…
Unlike Hamas, Israel will make every effort to avoid civilian deaths, and certainly won’t target noncombatants…
Israel is our strongest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East, the most volatile region in the world. This current war is not a battle for turf or bragging rights. It is a struggle that Israel is waging for itself and for all civilized peoples. Israel deserves our full, unqualified support for its own success and security, and the future of the world as we know it.(26)If this hyperbole wasn’t enough, he followed it up with a claim that the Hamas attack was worse than the Holocaust.(27) Another piece of Holocaust revisionism from a fanatical Zionist.
Congressman Richie Neal with Sinn Fein’s
Pat Sheehan.
The pro-Israel position stretches across to Sinn Fein’s contacts within the Democratic Party. One of the most senior of these is Massachusetts Congressman Richie Neal who has positioned himself as a firm supporter of the state of Israel. According to Neal:
“Israel is a representative democracy. They embrace the tenets of a constitutional democracy, free speech, freedom of the press and the right to assemble. And I’ve seen the debate in the Knesset. It’s pretty stormy.”(28)Anyone with any knowledge of Israel would know it is none of these things. Anyone who has seen recent footage of proceedings in the Israeli parliament would know they consist largely of a succession of racist rants demanding ever more violence against Arabs.
In 2017, Neal backed the Israeli Anti-Boycott Act, aimed to punish companies that boycott Israel.(29) In 2020, when facing a primary challenge from Alex Benjamin Morse, a liberal politician of Jewish descent who had made some mild criticisms of Israel, Neal won the endorsement and financial support of the powerful pro-Zionist lobby AIPAC. Candy Glazer, a long-time Democratic activist in Massachusetts and an AIPAC national council member, said Neal had been a reliable ally in western Massachusetts.
“We can always depend on Richie Neal,” she said, noting that the congressman has been a strong advocate against the BDS movement. “He has just been a very loyal supporter on almost every issue.”(30)Glazer added that Neal’s deep involvement in the peace process in Northern Ireland has given him unique insight into Israel’s plight. “I think he has empathy about how important homeland is,” Glazer mused. “It’s not just a political thing.”(31) This point is informative. In Ireland “Irishness” is often cited as a reason for a “natural” sympathy towards the Palestinians but in the US that is completely turned around. This shows the folly of appealing to nationality or ethnicity to win support for a political cause.
Another Massachusetts Democrat with Sinn Féin links is Bill Keating who has served in Congress since 2011 and sits on both the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee. He is a war hawk who has compared the current geo-political situation to the period before World War II. On the issue of Gaza, he stated the following:
“Our secretary of state, our secretary of defense and the president himself have all made it clear that this is our list of priorities. First, we are standing with Israel. They are our major NATO ally. They are the ones who were attacked by a terrorist group. We are working with Qatar for the return of the hostages. We are working to keep this from becoming a multi-front conflict. And we are working to get humanitarian aid into Gaza.”(32)
Mary Lou McDonald with Congressman Brendan Boyle.
A politician who trades off his Co. Donegal ancestry is Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle. He has a close association with Sinn Féin and has used these connections to promote his political career. What has also been central to his career is unwavering support for Israel. “On the broad range of issues, he’s been there,” said Mark Mellman, president and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, which endorsed Boyle during his most recent congressional run. “And not just been there, he’s been a leader on those issues and has always been supportive of strengthening that U.S.-Israel relationship.”(33)
He has been one of the leading figures in the campaign within the US Congress to criminalise solidarity with Palestinians with the BDS movement being the primary target. He sponsored an anti-boycott bill in 2016 during his first term in Congress.
“There’s no question that globally those who want to boycott are highly motivated and have some financial backing,” said Brendan Boyle, who — with his brother –visited Israel as part of the Jewish Federation-led trip in 2013 when he was still a state representative and again in 2015 when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They recently succeeded in getting Europe to get special labelling of Israeli products.“So, companies quietly are being caught in an uncomfortable position. A lot of them are international companies getting pressure to boycott Israel.
“That’s why it is so important for us to stand up. Any analogy between Israel and apartheid South Africa is anti-Semitic. What is so offensive and outrageous is they’re trying to boycott Israel the same way South Africa was boycotted in the 1980s. But there’s absolutely no comparison between modern-day Israel and brutal South Africa.”(34)
Brendan Boyle with Netanyahu.
In response to the Gaza breakout on Oct 7th issued the following statement pledging his unqualified support for Israel:
“I completely condemn today's attacks by Hamas terrorists against civilians in Israel. Some of the barbaric attacks are reminiscent of ISIS. These attacks do nothing to advance the cause of peace. Israel has every right to respond accordingly in defense of its citizens.”(35)He also supported a pro-Israel rally in Philadelphia at which participants held up Israeli flags and signs that read, “Philly Stands with Israel.” A brief video message from Congressman Boyle was shown to the crowd. “The U.S. stands firm — unequivocally and unquestionably on the side of our closest ally, Israel,” said Boyle in the video. “Israel has faced countless threats in its seven-and-a-half decades of existence as a Jewish state. It has attempted to make peace with its Arab neighbours. I pray that the day will come when there finally is peace in the Holy Land, but we’re not there yet,” Boyle continued.(36)
These brief summaries of the views of Sinn Féin’s political associates in the United States really puts the lie to the claim that the party is pressing the cause of Palestine when they travel there. The thought that any support for the Palestinians is being expressed, or would even be allowed to be expressed in these circles is delusional. Sinn Féin know this and keep their mouths shut.
Solidarity movement
The cynical manoeuvring of Sinn Féin is having repercussions for the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC). A loose formation that rests on diplomacy between various groups, most notably Sinn Féin and the trade unions, and also on the narrow programme of BDS, it is starting to come apart at the seams as it finds itself unable to hold to the most minimalist position on Palestine. As the White House St Patrick's events approach, and the extent of Sinn Féin’s betrayal of the Palestinians becomes too blatant to deny, the tensions with the solidarity movement are palpable. Indeed, from observation of the most recent rallies in Dublin and Belfast, it appears that Sinn Féin have withdrawn, or have at least substantially downgraded their participation.
The pressure of the events we are living through is forcing out ambiguity and revealing where individuals and organisations actually stand. When Sinn Féin came under that pressure, they abandoned the Palestinians and sided with US imperialism. This will come as a surprise and disappointment to many people. In the short term it will diminish the numbers involved in solidarity activities. However, solidarity is not just about numbers it is about the politics that underpin the movement. While the IPSC could turn out impressive numbers for events, its political foundation was extremely weak. The likely departure of Sinn Féin provides an opportunity to reflect upon this and re-found the solidarity movement. What’s needed is a movement that is anti-imperialist; that has the working class as the primary agency of its activity; and which elevates the authentic voices of Palestinians over that of the discredited PA. Numerically such a movement may be smaller but politically it would be much better. And ultimately it will be the politics that will determine its success or failure.
Notes
(1) De Valera's expression
of sympathy to diplomat condemned, Irish Times, 31 Dec 2011
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/de-valera-s-expression-of-sympathy-to-diplomat-condemned-1.17065
(2) Mary Lou McDonald
says Patrick's Day trip will let Ireland send 'clear message' to US on
Gaza, The Journal, 29 Jan 2024
https://www.thejournal.ie/sdlp-boycott-st-patricks-day-celebrations-white-house-gaza-6284050-Jan2024/
(3) Ireland, Spain
demand EU review of Israel’s human rights conduct in Gaza, Aljazeera, 14
Feb 2024
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/14/ireland-spain-demand-eu-review-of-israels-human-rights-conduct-in-gaza
(4) Mary Lou McDonald
says Patrick's Day trip will let Ireland send 'clear message' to US on
Gaza, The Journal, 29 Jan 2024
https://www.thejournal.ie/sdlp-boycott-st-patricks-day-celebrations-white-house-gaza-6284050-Jan2024/
(5) Palestinian protesters
criticise Sinn Féin after being ejected from Belfast rally, Irish
News, 8 Feb 2024
https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/palestinian-protesters-criticise-sinn-fein-after-being-ejected-from-belfast-rally-ANEZSGBQZFHQZHARJVRANEX5IU/
(6) Palestinian campaigner
urges Sinn Féin to change its mind about White House St Patrick’s
Day celebrations, Irish News, 13 Feb 2024
https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/palestinian-campaigner-urges-sinn-fein-to-change-its-mind-about-white-house-st-patricks-day-celebrations-3NZNEMWOD5GITFFLBPWXR42F6E/
(7) Protests at east
Belfast arms manufacturer as city council’s largest parties accused of
‘vetoing’ PBP Gaza ceasefire motion, Irish News, 23 Feb 2024
https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/protests-at-east-belfast-arms-manufacturer-as-city-councils-largest-parties-accused-of-vetoing-pbp-gaza-ceasefire-motion-BO4VAMQCYVF37BOSCHVPPNLACY/
(8) McDonald:
Sinn Fein shares US foreign policy concerns but boycott ‘wrong choice’,
Independent, 13 April 2023
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/joe-biden-mary-lou-mcdonald-irish-sinn-fein-iraq-b2319023.html
(9) US Special Economic
Envoy Joe Kennedy ‘very optimistic’ about NI prospects, Belfast Telegraph,
1 Feb 2024
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/us-special-economic-envoy-joe-kennedy-very-optimistic-about-ni-prospects/a1867048109.html
(10) https://twitter.com/USAmbUK/status/1760351099066753494
(11) Secretary Blinken’s
Calls with Northern Ireland First Minister O’Neill, deputy First Minister
Little-Pengelly, and Democratic Unionist Party leader Donaldson, US Department
of State, 17 Feb 2024
https://www.state.gov/secretary-blinkens-calls-with-northern-ireland-first-minister-oneill-deputy-first-minister-little-pengelly-and-democratic-unionist-party-leader-donaldson/
(12) Israel indicates
March deadline for Gaza ground offensive in Rafah, BBC News, 19 Feb 2024
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-68334510
(13) This article examines
Sinn Fein’s shifting position on Palestine in greater detail.
https://socialistdemocracy.org/RecentArticles/RecentGazaOnslaughtExposesSinnFein.html
(14) Gerry Adams says
Palestinians 'will understand' Sinn Féin's St Patrick's Day visit
to US amid calls for boycott, Irish Star, 28 Jan 2024
https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/gerry-adams-says-palestinians-will-31987449
(15) Ibid.
(16) Sinn Féin
raised $12 million in the United States, Irish Times, 5 Mar 2015
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sinn-fein-raised-12-million-in-the-united-states-1.2126033
(17) Friends
of Sinn Féin in US raise over $2m in last five years, Irish Times,
26 Jun 2023
https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/06/26/friends-of-sinn-fein-in-us-raise-over-2m-in-last-five-years/
(18) Ibid.
(19) Lawler centers
Abraham Accords in approach to Middle East, antisemitism, Jewish Insider,
5 June 2023
https://jewishinsider.com/2023/06/mike-lawler-republican-freshman-abraham-accords-middle-east-antisemitism/
(20) Lawler: Antisemitism
on college campuses ‘not a free speech issue’, The Hill. 11 Oct 2023
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4305120-lawler-antisemitism-college-campuses-not-free-speech-issue/
(21) Ibid.
(22) Rep. Lawler returns
from Israel; says it’s important to show support for country amid war with
Hamas. Bronx News 12, 14 Nov 2023
https://bronx.news12.com/rep-lawler-returns-from-israel-says-its-important-to-show-support-for-country-amid-war-with-hamas
(23) Ibid.
(24) Congressional
Republicans Criticize Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair for Israel Comments,
25 Nov 2023
https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1012
(25) Mike Lawler Denounces
‘Ludicrous Calls For Ceasefire’ Between Israel & Hamas, LiveTubeTV,
16 Nov 2023
https://www.livetube.tv/news/video-mike-lawler-denounces-ludicrous-calls-for-ceasefire-between-israel-hamas/
(26) Don’t ask Israel
not to ‘overreact’ against Hamas, The Jewish Star, 25 oct 2023
https://www.thejewishstar.com/stories/dont-ask-israel-not-to-overreact-against-hamas,22962?
(27) In Many Ways,
The Hamas Attack On Israel Was Worse Than The Holocaust, 77 WABC
https://wabcradio.com/episode/peter-king-in-many-ways-the-hamas-attack-on-israel-was-worse-than-the-holocaust/
(28) Can Richard Neal
avoid the same fate as Eliot Engel?, Jewish Insider, 20 Aug 2020
https://jewishinsider.com/2020/08/can-rep-richard-neal-fend-off-a-challenge-from-alex-morse/
(29) Neal backs bill
to punish supporters of boycotting Israel, Daily Hampshire, 21 July 2017
https://www.gazettenet.com/Richard-Neal-co-sponsors-controversial-anti-boycott-bill-11400222
(30) Can Richard Neal avoid
the same fate as Eliot Engel?, Jewish Insider, 20 Aug 2020
https://jewishinsider.com/2020/08/can-rep-richard-neal-fend-off-a-challenge-from-alex-morse/
(31) Ibid.
(32) Keating: Democracy under
biggest threat since World War II, The Inquirer & Mirror, 14 Dec 2023
https://www.ack.net/stories/keating-democracy-under-biggest-threat-since-world-war-ii,34257
(33) Jewish Insider:
Brendan Boyle’s Biden bet, 2 Dec 2020
https://philadelphia.adl.org/news/jewish-insider-brendan-boyles-biden-bet/
(34) Boyles Introduce
Anti-BDS Legislation on Federal, State levels, Jewish Exponent, 19 Apr
2016
https://www.jewishexponent.com/boyles-introduce-anti-bds-legislation-on-federal-state-levels/
(35) Boyle statement
on attack on Israel, 7 Oct 2023
https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/boyle-statement-attacks-israel
(36) Rallying
for Israel, North East Times, 18 October 2023
https://northeasttimes.com/2023/10/18/shaare-shamayim-rallies-for-israel/