Are the Irish Israelites? (4 June 2017, 10 Sivan, 5777)
Contents:
1. The Query of Alan
2. Different Celtic Traditions Explained
3. Rates of Anti-Semitism Compared and the Irish Case
4. The Importance of Important People
5. Why does Ireland seem anti-Jewish and against the State of Israel?
6. The Irish are Still Hebrews!
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1. The Query of Alan
Alan asked:
Dear Sir,
How do you explain or could you direct me to any material explaining why Irish Catholics sympathise and identify with Palestinians. Specifically, are Irish catholics maintaining any racial/historical links?
Best regards
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2. Different Celtic Traditions Explained
Previously we had written:
The term Celts is applied to peoples of different origin who had accepted Celtic language and Culture.
Greek Mythology attributed Celtic origins to the Cyclops, the Titans, or the descendants of Hercules.
We say that part of the Ten Tribes of Israel dwelt amongst the Celts especially those of the west.
The Israelites were not necessarily the majority but in some areas they may have been.
The idea that the Celts are from Japhet is derived from the teaching of the Church.
The Church teaching was based on a rationalization of Biblical and Jewish understanding.
It did not take account of descendants of Israel and Esau having also come to the west and settled amongst the locals who otherwise may well have been descended from Japhet.
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3. Rates of Anti-Semitism Compared and the Irish Case
Now we are being asked to comment on the perceived pro-Palestinian bias of some Irish Catholics.
This is a problem.
Anti-Jewish sentiment is an indication of non-Israelite origins BUT it often exists among Israelite peoples.
The cultural and historical circumstances and other matters also need to be factored into the equation.
We find Israelite tribal presence in the areas of Ireland, North Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, France.
That is where the Israelites are to be found. It does not mean that all or even most of the people there are Hebrews. In the past there were also Israelites in other areas such as Germany but they mostly moved out in recent centuries.
Today in general one may say all the non-English-speaking nations are illogically and unnaturally against the State of Israel.
When Ireland is compared to them it does not stand out that much.
In addition Ireland has a stronger weight in all the other factors.
See:
Ephraimite Criteria
How do we know whether or not a nation is of Israelite origin to a Significant degree?
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/biblical-proof/criteria.html
The Criteria are:
1. Blessings: Economic and Physical Blessings as promised to Israel in Scripture.
2. Indications of Scripture.
3. Groundwork: Historical, Archaeological, and Related Proofs showing paths of migration.
4. Judah: Affinity with the Jews.
5. Originality: Innovation and Intellect.
6. Bravery, Military Prowess.
7. Empathy: The Doing of Social Justice.
8. Israelite Self-Identification.
9. Family Connection.
10. Tribal Affiliation.
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4. The Importance of Important People
Another two points are that:
(1) The anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish sentiments of the Irish are usually not hard-core but acquired culturally. They are also in our time less personal than in the past.
(2) Important people, such as President Ronald Reagan (as discussed below), came out of the Irish and some of these were of great help to the Jews.
The sentiments of one great person in the right place may be more important historically than those of an entire generation.
Nevertheless we have written an article criticizing the Irish on this issue in the hope somewhere to effect a change.
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5. Why does Ireland seem anti-Jewish and against the State of Israel?
https://www.quora.com/Why-does-Ireland-seem-anti-Jewish-and-against-the-State-of-Israel/answer/Yair-Davidiy
Prophecy, or the Course of Human Affairs, or what ever you wish to call it indicates that they who deny the Jews a place in the world are destined to leave it.
The Jews however will stay.
The notes below are written for the sake of the Irish as much as for the Jews.
It is an Irish problem rather than a Jewish one.
[The present writer is a Jew by birth and religion but his father was partly of Irish descent perhaps from Catholic Cavan.]
Home truths from a home boy hit home.
First of all there were Irishmen throughout history who identified with Jews and helped them and aided Israel.
President Reagan was of Irish descent. Reagan was instrumental in freeing the Jews in Russia and bringing them to Israel.
He also helped save the Jews of Ethiopia from extermination in Africa by flying them to Israel.
On the other hand, before World War-2, a priest of Irish descent, Father Coughlin, conducted a vicious and popular radio campaign against Jews.
Americans of Irish descent together with the Germans had a lobby against Jews and in favor of Germany.
Concerning Ireland itself four main phases may be noticed:
1. Before World War-2;
2. During World War-2;
3. After the War to the foundation of Israel in 1948; and
4. From the foundation of Israel to the present.
During phases 1 and 2 Ireland accepted a few thousand Gentile refugees but not a single Jew.
Government officials in writing gave as their reason trepidation for what was perceived to be pure Aryan ancestry and the wish not to jeopardize it.
[They did not want people like myself around!]
During phase 3 a few isolated Jewish families came to Ireland.
Phase 4 includes the present time.
Ireland has consistently actively supported the Palestinians and been against Israel.
Irish government minsters have taken time out from their apparently superfluous duties and dedicated themselves to attacking Israel. They have endeavored to organize steps against the Jewish State.
Ireland gives money to pro-terror organizations that work to kill Jews.
Irish activists are often present in international actions against Israel.
Irish (i.e. nominal Catholics) thugs at football games in Northern Ireland chant Palestinian slogans and wave Palestinian flags.
They paint graffiti supporting Palestinian terrorism
[Northern Irish Protestants sometimes reply by using Israeli symbols.]
Reasons given for the Irish anti-Israeli attitude include sympathy for the alleged plight of Arab victims, resentment of British imperialism for which the Jews are naturally held responsible, and resentment of the Bible that Jews believe in and Israelis are believed to appeal to.
Half the world population of Jews now live in Israel.
Israel is the only homeland the Jews now have, have ever had, and ever wanted.
An attack against Israel is an attack against the Jews.
The justifications used by Ireland for being anti-Jewish have changed but the end result is the same.
The children of the fathers hate the Jews like their fathers did only now they give a different excuse for it.
At least that is the impression.
On the other hand,
In Israel there is actually much sympathy for Ireland. Irish people are liked. Irish music is popular. Imitations of Irish pubs are all over the country.
Irish policies for encouraging investment etc are held up for emulation. Israeli high tech start-up enterprises have branches in Ireland.
The Irish sometimes hold up their own tentative resolution of the Protestant-Catholic quarrel as a model for Jews and Arabs.
The Catholics and Protestants fought bloody battles over housing allocations, traffic routes, and the like.
In Israel the Jews fight for the right to live. The Palestinians struggle for the right to stop the Jews from living, i.e. to kill them.
Instead of struggling to emasculate Israel the Irish should be encouraging their Palestinian wards to move to Chile or some such location.
That is the solution many Palestinians really want. Why not give it to them?
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6. The Irish are Still Hebrews!
Despite the above harsh words there are numerous redeeming factors that apply to the Irish and may not be pertinent to others. There is an important Israelite element amiong the Irish that needs to assert itself and to be more conscious of its brotherhood with Judah and the corresponding obligation accruing from that.