Another aspect of this is when western media and politicians are hesitant to call out Netanyahu’s administration right now, despite so many Israeli people wanting him gone and months of massive protests in the country.

As for Ireland, they’ve actually long been different from other European counterparts about Israel/Palestine in both public opinion and government policy. The reasoning given is that they felt a shared sense of struggle against a powerful neighboring regime early on, and that helped them focus on the human rights aspects of the issue

the cause of that is for a large part Israel oppressing Palestinians , something that even many European Jews don’t support.

Here’s some relevant quotes:

• These were human beings whom Israel dispossessed and expelled, whom it conquered again in their land of refuge and then turned into animals in a cage. They’ve experienced indiscriminate bombardments before, but now the worst of all is ahead of them. Israel has already announced that all the restraints it supposedly used in previous attacks will be lifted this time. Yes, hundreds of Gazans committed atrocious crimes, an outgrowth of 17 years of blockade and 75 years of suffering, with a bloody past and no present or future.

• Israel has held millions of people under a brutal blockade for more than 15 years with the support of the entire Western world. That is inhumane and inconceivable, and every solution to this bloody conflict ultimately includes respecting the rights of all people, both in Gaza and Sderot, to live with security and human dignity. And that begins with respecting the most basic rules as set down in the international laws of war, which are designed to reduce the harm to civilians.

• These are dark times: the fear of a catastrophe waiting to unfold. Israelis still don’t know the fate of their loved ones, everyday Palestinians are trying to survive under an all-out Israeli attack, the Israeli government and Hamas, both corrupt and bloodthirsty

Source: Hareetz. I suspect some would be surprised to read these kinds of opinions in a relatively large Israeli paper.

While Israel is part of the cause of Islamic terrorism in Europe, I think we should not pat too much on our backs. Yes, our countries’ positions taking sides on Israel is problematic as hell and so is us being tied to the US in the minds of many people outside Europe. But so is our own Islamophobia. I get where it comes from, but othering and sidelining people will lead to further radicalization. Which for people whose Islamophobia is rooted in current oppression in many Islamic societies, is entirely opposite of what they want.

I wonder why medical facilities might be targeted. Oh, right, they make great human shields. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shifa_Hospital