The Irish Times in a front page article expose their total lack of journalistic focus.

One of the problems with the media today is their tendency to focus on scandals as opposed to analysing the spin coming from the political establishment. Instead of offering the public a critical eye of the spin, the media likes to focus on ‘big scandals’ as that’s what ‘sells papers’. The desire to focus on a scandal often means that the substantive issue that should have been focused on gets ignored in the tabloid style moral outrage. Wednesday last, 14th January, in a front page article by Mary Minihan we were exposed to a crass example of the problem I have expressed. Read The Irish Times article here.

During the Israeli ambassador's visit to the Dáil, at an emergency meeting of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the conflict in Gaza, Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Sinn Féin TD) attacked the ambassador and resident Zionist Alan Shatter, Fine Gael TD. It seems that Aengus, unhappy with the spin that the two were bringing into the debate compared their methods to “that of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.” Aengus was unhappy with their attempts to expose the Oireachtas committee to “propaganda, twisted logic and half truths”.

Full Quote: 'I ask Deputy Shatter, who spoke about the relationship between Sinn Féin and violent groups, to reflect on his relationship with one of the most violent states in the world. He could do much more to appeal to that country to end its violence. The arrogance of the Israeli ambassador and Deputy Shatter seems to know no bounds. The comments they have made at today’s meeting are a form of propaganda. Goebbels would have been proud of the twisted logic and half-truths to which they have exposed this committee. I do not say that lightly. They are trying to justify the unjustifiable, which is what Goebbels and his colleagues tried to do during the Holocaust. What we have heard today...' - debates.oireachtas.ie

Statement issued by the nine women
as they entered the Raytheon premises:

From the Derry Anti War Coalition:
From Nine Women Who Have Chained Themselves Inside The Raytheon Building At Springtown Today (January 12Th) At 2.30pm

We have taken this action in an effort to prevent or delay war crimes being committed by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza with the use of Raytheon weapons and to try to force a criminal investigation into the activities of the Raytheon company in Derry and elsewhere which, we believe, amount to complicity in war crimes.

Like millions of others, we have watched television pictures of innocent people being slaughtered since the Israeli assault on Gaza began on December 27th, and have wanted it to stop. But nobody with the power to make it stop seems willing to intervene to do so.

Lawyers and international human rights organisations have declared that the Israeli bombing and shelling of Gaza involves war crimes. The bombing of a UN-sponsored school on January 6th, killing at least 40 civilians, including children, has merely been the worst of these war crimes.

Raytheon is one of Israel’s main suppliers of the weapons being used in the attacks on Gaza. The company is either aware or doesn’t care that its weapons are being used to commit war crimes.

Nine Derry Women Updates:
• Police Agree to Investigate Raytheon's Role in War Crimes - Read more, plus photos
• Galway Women's Vigil for Gaza: 'We are Muslim, Jewish, Catholic and women of no religion. From the Middle East and Ireland. Mothers, housewives, students, teachers, office workers, pensioners.' - read more
• Protest as the Israeli ambassador enters Dáil Éireann - Photo series

Shannonwatch.org, a website set up in December 2008 to document US military traffic and rendition flights through Shannon Airport has become the victim of organised international attacks. The attacks which started on January 8th are being repeated, and efforts to keep the website live are currently proving difficult. The website managers are determined that they will not be silenced however, and will continue in one form or another to publish information on military and suspect CIA flights through Shannon.

Related Links:
• Check to see if the Site is online yet: ShannonWatch.org
• ShannonWatch asks Is Ireland facilitating possible genocide at Shannon?

8pm - Thursday Jan 15th
The Lower Deck Portobello, Dublin
Playing: Herv / 6ft Apprentice / PCP / Section 4 and Chirps.

As editors, we, more than most, realise Indymedia.ie's had it's ups and downs in contributions and content. Editors have come and gone, and the very nature of online publishing and user generated content has fundamentally changed with the Web 2.0 revolution.

But once the dust of discussion has settled, one clear fact remains, the Irish movement has yet to create a media outlet with the reach and scope of Indymedia.ie. Until something better comes along, Indymedia.ie remains a vital communicative node for those in struggle in Ireland, it binds us together where usually we fracture. But to survive, we need your help.

Read on to see how you can help...

Dear Ambassador Dr. Zion Evrony,

Further to my telephone call to your office this morning I wish to reiterate some of the points which I made in the conversation with your secretary, and to elaborate on them a little further.

1.  I am sick to the teeth of the lies you are telling on RTE and in the Irish media about what is happening in Gaza. Israel has killed over 400 people there on the pretext that a cease-fire had been broken unilaterally by Hamas. You know this is not true.

2. You said that Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties but that Hamas use their civilians as shields for Hamas soldiers. You know that this is not true. Gaza is smaller in area than our smallest County, Louth, and is over-populated with 1.4 million people, before your country reduced the population with murder from the sky.

3.  Your Army invaded Gaza prior to an election and in the interregnum between the Presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. You kill over 400, injure over 1000 and promise more killings and injuries. And you blame Hamas for all of these killings and injuries. You know that it is not true that Hamas are to blame for your murders. You, the State of Israel and the IDF, are to blame for the people you kill and injure, no one else but you.

Protests continue across Ireland:
• Gaza Solidarity March Dublin 2009 - Photo Series and more photos
• About 100 people came out in Limerick today to protest at the ongoing slaughter in Gaza. - photos and report
• Brief video of SF MEP Mary Lou McDonald's speech at the Gaza Solidarity march - news, photos and video
• Cork Protests in ‘Disgust’ at Israel War Crimes - Photos and story
• Palestine Solidarity in Omagh - Photos and details
• 3rd Jan, Derry Protests Against Israel's Attacks on Gaza - Photos and report
• 5th Jan, Lurgan Palestine Solidarity Protest - more news and photos
• 6th Jan, Anti-War protest at the Israeli embassy in Dublin - Photo series
• 7th Jan, Cork does a stall and vigil for Gaza - Photo series

Protests continue across the World:
• Photostory: World demonstrates for Gaza - ElectronicIntifada.net
• Riding on fire and a third intifada, by Ewa Jasieiwcz - read at FreeGaza.org

Government TD calls for Expulsion of Israeli Ambassador - More news & discussion

Gaza Invasion Blogging....
In the face of protests worldwide, Israel has tonight launched an incursion into the Gaza Strip. Their 'war' continued today with the bombing of a mosque in Gaza. Reports indicate that more than ten people were killed in this latest terrorist attack. Read more Gaza Blogging below....

read the rest of Justin Morahan's Eight Point letter to the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland...