Florida State Representative Randy Fine, critical of Governor Ron DeSantis's recent trip to Dublin, has doubled down on his claims that Ireland is "antisemitic" and "supports Muslim terror."
DeSantis was in Dublin this past weekend amidst the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which ultimately saw Georgia Tech upset Florida State University 24 - 21.
On social media, DeSantis said he and a team from the Florida Department of Commerce enjoyed meeting business leaders in Dublin ahead of the American college football game, noting that "a number of Irish businesses are interested in coming to Florida or expanding their Florida footprint."
The @FLACommerce team and I enjoyed meeting with business leaders ahead of the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. A number of Irish businesses are interested in coming to Florida or expanding their Florida footprint. And why not? Florida has the #1… pic.twitter.com/O6GQCJcUDm
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 25, 2024
“I was certainly disappointed to see not only folks go to what is clearly an antisemitic country that supports Muslim terror, but I was also disappointed that the game wasn’t cancelled, which it should have been,” Fine told the USA TODAY Network – Florida on Tuesday.
USA Today noted that Fine is the Legislature’s only Jewish Republican.
Fine further said: “Fighting antisemitism often as a lone ranger, it’s like Whac-A-Mole, and every day I have to tackle some new issue in state government, local government or private industry and there’s unfortunately more to be done.
“The fact that the state thought it was a good idea to have a football game in a place that supports Muslim terror shows the depth of the problem.”
USA Today went on to report that DeSantis responded to Fine's recent comments saying: "I think just about every lobbyist in Tallahassee made that trip, so is Rep. Fine going to stop taking the money from all the lobbyists like he’s been doing?
"I'd like to see his answer to that."
In May, Fine had similarly critical words for Ireland after Taoiseach Simon Harris announced the country would be joining Spain and Norway in formally recognizing the State of Palestine.
As part of his announcement on May 22, the Taoiseach said: "Let me be clear that Ireland condemns the barbaric massacre carried out by Hamas on October 7th last. Civilians attacked and murdered. Hostages taken in the most brutal and terrifying of circumstances, including a young Israeli-Irish child [Emily Hand]."
The Taoiseach further said: "It is long past time for a ceasefire, for the unconditional release of hostages and for unhindered access for humanitarian aid."
Including Ireland, Spain, and Norway, 145 out of the 193 UN member states have now recognized a Palestinian state. The US has not.
Reacting to Ireland's announcement, Fine posted on X that day how he and his family were in Ireland last summer and "marveled" at how welcoming it was.
"This morning, I wonder how we would have been treated if they knew we were Jews," he said in his post. "Very sad to see Ireland embrace Muslim terror."
(Fine's post is now under 'limited visibility' as it "may violate X’s rules against Hateful Conduct.")
Last summer, my family visited Ireland. At the time, we marveled at how welcoming everyone was to us as Americans. This morning, I wonder how we would have been treated if they knew we were Jews. Very sad to see Ireland embrace Muslim terror.
— Rep. Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) May 22, 2024
Later that day, Fine posted again: "In Florida, if you support Muslim terror, you will be treated like a Muslim terrorist.
"Next session, I will introduce legislation that adds any country that recognizes 'Palestine' to Florida's list of scrutized [sp] countries, with severe limitations on entities from those countries doing business with and in Florida.
"Spain, Ireland, and Norway will join Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Syria, among others, on that list.
"Govern yourselves accordingly."
In Florida, if you support Muslim terror, you will be treated like a Muslim terrorist. Next session, I will introduce legislation that adds any country that recognizes "Palestine" to Florida's list of scrutized countries, with severe limitations on entities from those countries…
— Rep. Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) May 22, 2024
Fine told USA Today on Tuesday that he still intends to introduce such legislation.
Meanwhile, Fine regularly uses the hashtag #BombsAway on X when positing about the war in Gaza.
As it should be. Release the hostages and surrender. #BombsAway https://t.co/L0DUMqnaTb
— Rep. Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) August 28, 2024
Ireland is, in general, pro-Palestinian. In October, President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins said there was a need for "sophisticated, honest, straight discussion" when it came to criticizing Israel, but added that "nobody should tolerate antisemitism for a moment."
In November, an Ireland Thinks poll for the Sunday Independent found that 51% of respondents sided with Palestine. The same poll found that 65% of respondents supported Ireland proscribing Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Later, in February, another Ireland Thinks poll for the Sunday Independent found that 79% of respondents believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
In March, Ireland's then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar explained while in Washington, DC: "Leaders often ask me why the Irish have such empathy for the Palestinian people. And the answer is simple: We see our history in their eyes.
“A story of displacement, of dispossession, national identity questioned or denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now, hunger.”
Varadkar was in the US despite calls for Irish politicians to boycott the annual St. Patrick's Day events over the US response to the war in Gaza. While in Washington, Vardakar made headlines when Biden, in front of reporters, agreed with the Taoiseach that it was time for a ceasefire.
In May, Biden put forth a plan to deliver a ceasefire which Taoiseach Simon Harris described as "an opportunity that should not be missed." On August 20, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that, after some clarifications, Israel had accepted the proposal and that he was hoping Hamas would do the same.
Coincidentally, Fine's most recent comments about Ireland being "antisemitic" came the same day the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) published an article about Jewish people in Ireland, which ultimately portrayed the community's attitudes as rather nuanced.
"Ireland’s Jews feel safe but concerned," the article's headline reads. It notes that Ireland's Jewish community only numbers 2,200.
Maurice Cohen, chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, told JNS: “We have a very close relationship with the police force. We have access to senior politicians. But our concerns are not always heard with regard, for instance, to antisemitism in education.
“Still, going around wearing a kippah is relatively safe. We had no incidents of physical violence, and every single politician I met at the top level said that they won’t stand for that,” he continued.
“They say that the Jewish community here is very valuable and as much a part of Ireland as any race or religion, but then in the same speech criticize the war in Gaza. They just connect the two,” he added.
Cohen went on to say that the Israeli Foreign Ministry acted "very childishly" when it recalled its Ambassador, Dana Erlich, after Ireland moved to formally recognize Palestine.
"It serves no purpose," Cohen told JNS. "The ambassador is better off on the ground having her voice heard than not being here.
“She can do her work, meet with officials, the media or other ambassadors,” he added.
JNS also spoke with Sivan Yousef, who grew up in Israel and moved to Ireland 20 years ago. She recently met with Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin alongside other representatives of the Jewish community.
Yousef, who believes Ireland's recognition of Palestine is 'misguided,' said Martin "sat down and listened to representatives from the Jewish community for two hours.
"I felt I was speaking to someone who just wanted peace."
However, she continued, “When Ireland gives €13 million to the Palestinian side and when Palestinian flags are flown all over the place, this is not sending a message of peace. This is telling the world that you are being one-sided.”
Yousef told JNS that she believes the Irish people "don't get" Jewish people's story and that the media hasn't covered their side enough.
Still, Yousef admitted she received messages of support following the October 7 attacks.
“After Oct. 7, I started getting messages asking me how everybody was doing back home and sending regards,” she said, adding, “When I go to Israel, I have to explain how wonderful Ireland is and how wonderful the people are.
"The position that the government decided to adopt does not necessarily represent the people who actually approached me and genuinely cared.”
Rifka Lent, who has lived in Ireland for 24 years and runs the Chabad house in Dublin with her husband, shared similar sentiments with JNS.
“I do think Israelis see Ireland as much more antisemitic than it is,” she said.
“I don’t know why that is. Maybe they feel Ireland shouldn’t be so anti-Israel and they feel betrayed in some ways."
She continued: “I’m not so happy with the way the Irish government is dealing with it, [but] I also understand that there are fewer Jews than there are Muslims. Politicians do things for the majority.
"This explains a lot of antisemitism in the world."
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