247. Alan Shatter: October 7, Gaza & Israel | Part 1

Alan Shatter is a former Irish Minister for Justice and Defence, former Fine Gael TD, solicitor and author.

In Part 1 of this extended conversation with Fender Jackson, Shatter reflects on growing up Jewish in Dublin and his experience of antisemitism in Ireland.

He gives his personal account of waking to news of the Hamas attacks on October 7 and discusses the intelligence and security failures that preceded the attack, including the warnings that were missed and the political responsibility of the Israeli government.

The conversation then turns to the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the creation of Israel, Palestinian and Jewish displacement, the Six-Day War, Gaza following Israel's 2005 withdrawal and Hamas's subsequent rise to power.

Fender challenges Shatter on Israel's responsibility for conditions in Gaza, restrictions on fuel and essential supplies, the scale of civilian deaths, the conduct of the war and accusations that Israel is committing genocide.

In Part 2, the conversation turns more directly to Ireland, including antisemitism, anti-Zionism, sanctions and boycotts, the description of Israel as an apartheid state, Ireland's identification with Palestinians and Shatter's concerns about the future of Jewish life in Ireland.

Recorded in Dublin.

The Ireland Podcast - Recording the island.