A FINE GAEL Dublin city councillor has apologised for remarks she made about Jewish people and Israel during a debate at the monthly council meeting last night.

Councillor Punam Rane faced immediate backlash to her comments during a debate about a motion demanding that the Irish Government enact the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban trade between Ireland and illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.

Rane was the last councillor to make a statement during the debate and claimed that it was evident the United States is no longer the global “superpower” it once was as the country “hasn’t taken a stance” against Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

She said: “America should’ve taken a stance. But how many of you know that the entire US economy today is ruled by the Jews, by Israel. They will never be able to take a stance.”

Rane claimed that the US’ economy and the looming election next month in the country would be at stake is Washington chose to intervene with Israel’s offensive.

Immediately after her remarks, People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy asked Fine Gael Lord Mayor James Geoghegan to request that Rane clarify her remarks about “the Jews controlling the American economy”.

He added:

“I think that is tremendously unhelpful. We’re all here in solidarity with Palestine. To equate Judaism and Zionism is a complete fallacy. It’s wrong.”

“I think we all stand against antisemitism and I think it could be helpful if she would withdraw that particular use of words. I don’t want to misinterpret what she was saying. But those use of words – if she could withdraw them.”

One common antisemitic trope is to suggest that Jewish people run the world or control the media.

Asked to clarify her remarks, Rane said: “I didn’t actually mean a particular community. But I’m just saying today the US economy is ruled by the Israelis. It’s not wrong.

“They have worked hard for it – that’s not what I’m saying – but what I am saying is that the US is not [able] to take a stance today because of their financial dependency. That’s all I’m saying,” she added.

The motion, which was proposed by Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan and calls on the Government to enact the legislation “in light of the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice on the illegality of Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territories”, was later passed.

In his closing remarks, while outlining the importance of voting in favour of the motion, Doolan noted: “We need to be careful with our language. We should not be inflammatory with our language. And identifying one religious group over another is inflammatory.

“We shouldn’t be isolating one group in the US above anybody else. The sole responsibility for selling, aiding and arming Israel lies with the politicians in Washington. Not one particular sect or religious organisation.

“I’m glad the councillor earlier on clarified [her remarks] but let’s walk out of here unified, strong and in one voice, free Palestine and enact the Occupied Territories Bill,” he said.

Posting to X, formerly Twitter, this morning, Rane said: “I completely withdraw my comments made at last night’s city council meeting in relation to a motion on the Occupied Territories Bill. It was wrong and I fully apologise for it.”

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