Michael Murray The furore over Republic of Ireland playing Israel in the UEFA Nations’ League raises the question of what happened in the days of the boycotts of rugby games with apartheid South Africa. The record shows a huge contrast between the Fianna Fáil government stance on the issue of sports and politics - then compared to … Continue reading Sports and Politics: Ireland v Israel
South Africa
Celebrating Hanukkah!
(Reprinted from Church and State 2025) British Premier Sir Keir Starmer took part in mid-December, in his official capacity as British Prime Minister, in the Jewish celebration of the festival of Hanukkah. A segment of his speech played by the media suggested that Hanukkah was about meditation conducive to peace, rather like what Christmas has become in … Continue reading Celebrating Hanukkah!
“Hague Schmague?” Oy veh!
The outcome of the ICJ case Michael Murray “Ceasefire!” An appendix to an article elsewhere in this issue of Labour Affairs, about the human rights lawyer, Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, KC, and her role in the South African legal team, lists the nine “Provisional Measures” sought in South Africa's Application to the ICJ. The first is: "The State of Israel … Continue reading “Hague Schmague?” Oy veh!
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh: “The Making of a Human Rights Lawyer.”
Michael Murray Introduction: “An bealach seo atá romham” - my destiny Over the desk of Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, In the busy London office of Matrix (Barristers’ ) Chambers, on the Greys’ Inn Road - also of Brussels and Geneva, hangs a framed pamphlet with a photograph on its cover of a smiling twelve year old … Continue reading Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh: “The Making of a Human Rights Lawyer.”
Israel at The Hague
South Africa and the World’s Conscience The world has been witnessing, powerless or complicit, the destruction of the people of Gaza through bombing, starvation and disease for the past three months. Israel has said it will continue perhaps for another year. South Africa has taken a step to call what is happening by its proper … Continue reading Israel at The Hague
A STATE FOR ALL ITS CITIZENS
A contribution to a debate Peter Brooke In a recent interview on BBC radio, Ehud Barak, the Israeli Prime Minister who is supposed to have offered the best deal Israel ever offered to the Palestinians, spelled out, in rather awkward grammar, what he regards as the ideal two state solution: 'I will never lose eye … Continue reading A STATE FOR ALL ITS CITIZENS