A former member of the Revolutionary Communist Party and a self-described “Marxist libertarian”, Brendan O’Neil is one of our great contrarians. He has written columns for Haaretz, The Australian, Daily Mail, The Big Issue and The Spectator. Between 2007 and 2021, he was the editor of libertarian site Spiked, and remains their chief political writer.
Why did we invite him on?
Brendan’s unflinching willingness to speak out already makes him a natural fit for our show; it’s no surprise we’ve hosted him thrice before, going back to our very first episodes in 2018. Having decided to have him back again, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to discuss a query we’ve had behind the scenes for some time.
What’s going on with the Irish?
Not just generally, but specifically as it relates to the situation in Gaza. Ireland’s broad support for Palestine is well understood, but in the wake of October 7th and the ensuing violence, it has become increasingly hostile and puritanical. Just recently, Irish radio stations banned Ed Sheeran’s music for his perceived lack of support for Macklemore and, by extension, Palestine.
Why? What’s the motivating force?
As a “thoroughbred mick” and a writer who has explored the subject of his country and Israel in immense depth, we knew Brendan was the ideal person to ask.
What did we talk about?
“I’ve done my 23-And-Me; I am 100% Irish - all my heritage is from the West of Ireland. It pains me to say this: Ireland has lost the plot. It is in a bad way. It has defined itself as ‘the anti-Israel state’, and given that Israel is the only Jewish state, that has become increasingly problematic for them. They’re falling under the spell of antisemitism, and it’s really sad to see.”
Antisemitism and criticism of Israel must not be conflated; disagreements about military tactics or state conduct are a world away from knee-jerk bigotry, and it’s unwise to treat them as one and the same.
”All the things people used to say about the Jews, they now say about the Jewish state. Killing babies, controlling the world, being the secret puppet masters of politics - these are all used to be said about Jews. Now they’re said about Israel.”
Comparing Ireland and Gaza, it’s not difficult for an outsider to make certain connections. Each has been subject to the control of a larger, more powerful neighbour that has committed horrific atrocities against them. Given that, one can understand why a nation may be sensitive to cases of victimisation.
Is it that simple? Is this all due to a shared history of oppression?
”Yes and no. That is, admittedly, how the Irish would explain it. ‘We’re sensitive to the situation in Gaza because of our own history of colonisation, of famine, oppression, all the terrible things that happened to us under British rule’. That’s all true; there’s no denying it. However, there’s a real strain of ignorance in all of this: if people knew the first thing about history, they’d know Ireland has far more in common with Israel than Hamas-ruled Gaza.”
Such as?
