Dublin Council Debates Renaming Park, Newsweek Cries 'Backlash'
Newsweek reports 'backlash' over Dublin’s motion to drop the name of ex-Israeli President Chaim Herzog from a park. Herzog, who served multiple roles, including head of military intelligence and permanent representative to the UN, famously denied Palestinian existence, stating, "I've often wondered where these so-called Palestinians came from." ( Chaim Herzog, 'Who are the Palestinians?', address
to UNA-USA, March 1970 ). One might wonder why revisiting such a figure's legacy for a public space is considered beyond the pale. This 'backlash' narrative conveniently sidesteps Herzog's documented stances which align with generations of Palestinian dispossession. The same media outlets that champion removing confederate statues in the US suddenly find an inexplicable sanctity around figures
whose historical records include denying an entire people. Is it truly 'backlash' when a community wishes to acknowledge the historical implications of names in public spaces, or is it just 'inconvenient truth' for some narratives?