TV Host Refuses to Back Down After Calling Israel a “Cancer”
October 28, 2012 16:55 by Simon PloskerOn Tuesday 23 October, Irish broadcaster Vincent Browne referred to Israel as a “cancer” during his live show on TV3 channel’s Tonight With Vincent Brown.
In a discussion on the recent televised US presidential foreign policy debate between Republican challenger Mitt Romney and Democrat President Barack Obama, Browne lamented that Israel had barely been mentioned, stating:
Israel is the cancer in foreign affairs. It polarizes the Islamic community of the world against the rest of the world.
Unless you deal with the problem of Israel and the Palestinians in that part of the world, there’s going to be conflict and disharmony. It’s a massive injustice — they stole the land from the Arabs.
According to the Irish Independent:
Mr Browne admitted that his choice of language could have been better but insisted that the criticism was justified.
“What I resent is the suggestion that because you’re critical of Israel, you’re automatically anti-Semitic. I don’t think that’s acceptable,” he said.
Mr Browne refused to apologise for his remarks, saying that Israel was founded in 1948 by taking land from the Arabs.
He said it was “blackmail” to try to brand everyone who was critical of Israel as anti-Semitic. “I don’t think I differ too much from Irish or European foreign policy,” he said.
That Browne’s first response was to deny that he is an anti-Semite speaks volumes. Browne’s defense is often employed by some of Israel’s harshest critics who attempt to claim that supporters of Israel are smearing them as anti-Semites in a backhanded effort to silence them.
For while his comments were described as anti-Semitic, Browne himself has not been accused of being an anti-Semite. Instead, Browne cannot even bring himself to apologize, preferring to dismiss criticism as illegitimate.
The Jewish Chronicle reports:
Defending his remarks, Mr Browne said that by calling Israel a cancer “I didn’t mean it should be eliminated. It was an infelicitous use of the word.
“The reality is the Israeli state was founded by confiscation of land previously occupied by Arabs. That injustice is at the centre of the conflict.”
Vincent Browne evidently does not understand the difference between legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and his outrageous statements meant to demonize an entire country. It is doubtful that Browne would have referred to any other country as a “cancer” – a term used by anti-Semites aimed at Jews and Israel.
Indeed, Browne should have realized just how far beyond the pale he has gone when one considers that the most vocal proponent of such disgusting language is Iranian President Ahmadinejad who, in a diatribe last August, stated:
The Zionist regime and the Zionists are a cancerous tumour. Even if one cell of them is left in one inch of (Palestinian) land, in the future this story (of Israel’s existence) will repeat.
Israel’s deputy ambassador to Ireland Nurit Tinari-Modai said: “We today received phone calls and emails from outraged Irish people who intend to complain about Mr. Brown’s ongoing hateful comments towards the Jewish people and the Jewish state.”
According to the Irish Independent, however, a TV3 spokeswoman said she was not aware of any complaints being made about Mr Browne’s remarks.
Let’s see if we can change that. Send your considered comments to TV3 and demand an apology and the right of reply for a pro-Israel guest on Vincent Browne’s show - complaints@tv3.ie
Please consider clicking +1, Tweet, Like or linking to this article on your blog or website. This article is only effective if it reaches a large readership, especially through the Google search engine. Creating a link to this page with the text “Vincent Browne Cancer” helps this article reach the first page search results for the term.
TV Host Refuses to Back Down After Calling Israel a “Cancer” | Blogs about Israel aggregation
5:28 pm
Oct 28, 2012
[...] article can be viewed at TV Host Refuses to Back Down After Calling Israel a “Cancer” on [...]
Hot debate. What do you think?
3 
7
Larry
7:04 pm
Oct 28, 2012
Vincent Browne is like a hemorrhoid. A little Preparation H on his brain and maybe he will stop being such a stupid ass.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
40 
4
m
8:34 pm
Oct 28, 2012
What can I say about that pathetic cancerous growth on Ireland
Don’t ya love it when they used their key phrases like “Zionist Regime”? Where is Brownnoser’s outrage at the TRUE atrocities that are being committed daily against muslims by OTHER MUSLIMS?!
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
34 
3
steven L
11:59 pm
Oct 28, 2012
These are not atrocities according to the Qur’an, Sharia and hadiths. We do not share their values. Remember.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
9 
2
m
1:05 am
Oct 29, 2012
Steven, I stand corrected. You are correct of course.
Agree or Disagree:
1 
0
Sara
9:09 pm
Oct 28, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Agree or Disagree:
2 
15
m
9:17 pm
Oct 28, 2012
SARA
Sometimes it’s time to grow a pair of balls and stop being politically correct to the point of tossing the only true ally the west has in the region, under the bus.
Besides, if anything he said were true it might make a difference but to chant leftist lies about Israel in an attempt to pander to the wider islamic cesspools on this planet, is demeaning. A mouth piece like Brown is a disgrace to Ireland and the civilized west.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
17 
3
Citizenstat
9:10 pm
Oct 28, 2012
Browne’s comment about Israel being the source of divisions between Islamic countries and the West betrays an appalling ignorance of geo-political realities. His use of the word “cancer” to characterize Israel brands him a soul-mate of the Iranian dictator, Mahmoud Amadinijad.
In either case, he’s an embarrassment to Irish television.
Sent from my iPhone
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
38 
3
geoffff
9:31 pm
Oct 28, 2012
Calling Israel the “cancer” that is at the centre of legitimate Islamic grievance against the West is of course an antisemitic lie but the worst antisemitic slur is left unanswered here.
“They stole the land from the Arabs”
This vile obscene lie should be thrown back in the face of this ugly sleazy Irish malignant tumour at every opportunity.
What a gutless creep.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
32 
3
IDNS: Hezbollah Deeply Divided Over Supporting Assad | Blogs about Israel aggregation
10:13 pm
Oct 28, 2012
[...] In the face of condemnation, Browne’s digging in his heels. HonestReporting has more. [...]
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
7 
0
Obama's Advisor on Jihad
12:41 am
Oct 29, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Agree or Disagree:
3 
13
m
1:04 am
Oct 29, 2012
Don’t throw the baby out with the dirty bath water.
In this case Brown is the filthy bath water.
Not all Irish feel the same way he does. Best keep that in mind
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
12 
3
Obama's Advisor on Jihad
3:13 am
Oct 29, 2012
Not really the point. Simply drive that message home a hundred million times. From now on that is the sole response to any and all inquiries from Ireland regardless of what they say mean think want need or claim. Just repeat it over and over and over and over and over for the next 60 or 70 years. Then after that scream at the Irish and demand complete obliteration at their refusal to accept our open hand in a ‘good faith effort at peace.”
Agree or Disagree:
0 
2
m
3:44 am
Oct 29, 2012
The Irish are not unlike others from the left in Europe who have joined the bandwagon of Jew hatred and Israel denial. It’s very “IN” to be pro the false people that refer to themselves as “palis” and to use that as an excuse to allow their anti Jewishness to raise it’s ugly head.
But they WILL remain impotent and WILL lose. Israel is going nowhere and now thew Jews have their ancestral homeland back (at least a small slice of it). This is not the 1940′s and Jews know how to fight back (and how to hit twice as hard and twice as fast).
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
9 
2
Stephen
1:03 am
Oct 29, 2012
Quick review: The land used to be part of the Ottoman Empire. The British Mandate was to create a Jewish homeland on what was once historical Israel, just as Egypt was created on what was historical Egypt. Egypt was Coptic and Israel was Jewish.
Great Britain gave 80% of what was to be Israel to create TransJordan. Not legally within the Mandate it was given, but the world was silent. The Mandate was assumed by the UN after the League of Nations folded. Land supposedly dedicated to the Jews was again given to the Arabs. It was the British whores who stole the land from Jews and gave it to the Arabs. I guess we have to call the UK a cancerous tumour.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
15 
3
m
1:16 am
Oct 29, 2012
Re: Quick Review.
You are spot on, on every point!!!
Just as the UK is pandering to arabs today; they pandered to them back then at the expense of the tiny Jewish nation. But look how Israel has prevailed. Not only that but has become a mighty mouse of nations in virtually every aspect.
Also remember that there are those in Europe that ARE on the side of right ie fully support Israel. Not many but some Euro politicos have balls enough to call a spade a spade. Unlike the organ grinder monkey and biggest failed experiment in affirmative action that is currently at the helm of the USA (hopefully soon to be dismissed).
BTW, I’m Canadian. Harper has a pair of balls
)
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
13 
2
Julia
7:02 am
Oct 29, 2012
This whole mess was created by the British Empire in the first place through their continued
lies and lying promises. Throughout history they have stolen, plundered and deceived to fool the
world and rule the waves. They have stolen Jewish land for the sake of Arab oil and tricked everybody to further their own means and managed to fuel and feed the likes of degenerates like Vincent Browne. He is badly in need of education and a mouthwash.
Hot debate. What do you think?
6 
3
Stephen
1:06 am
Oct 29, 2012
Years ago I use to watch the BBC world news on Canadian and US stations. I noticed that whatever the topic, Israel was always at the dirty end of the report’s stick. I also noticed that the majority of negative reports were with Irish correspondents. I see the trend hasn’t changed.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
8 
3
Eliot Israel
3:37 am
Oct 29, 2012
Dear Mr Browne, you are not anti Semitic, you are just not informed: Jews from Egypt were all expelled without documents and all their wealth confiscated, between 1956 and 1966. We were all scattered in the world, England, France, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, USA, Canada and of course Israel. You are talking about a few bedouins that were instructed by the Arab attackers in 48 to get out of the area while they were going to annihilate Israel. More than a million Jews were thrown out of North Africa and Middle East. The vast majority of these expelled Jews worked hard and have succeeded in their new countries of adoption. Egypt used to be a Pearl of a country and Israel at that time was a desert. Now passed 60 years Egypt is behind a 100 years and Israel is the jewel of the Middle East . That tells you the kind of people of both countries. I was born in Egypt and went to France, Brazil and finally the USA. Check all I said and I hope you are a decent intelligent person who can know the truth from cheap Arab ads.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
16 
2
m
4:14 am
Oct 29, 2012
Not only was your post interesting and well composed, this bit struck a chord.
“Now passed 60 years Egypt is behind a 100 years and Israel is the jewel of the Middle East . That tells you the kind of people of both countries”
I always maintain that Israel is truly a shining jewel surrounded by a sea of islamic cesspools. I wish ppl would just think about your comment. Nothing is more true. PPl should decide if they want to be with a winner or with a perpetual loser.
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
6 
2
Craig
4:58 am
Oct 29, 2012
It’s all well and good that you chastise this creep for his unacceptable and despicable use of the word, “cancer” to describe another country (curious how Assad’s Syria isn’t a cancer, nor Khameini’s Iran), but why do you give him a pass and not take him to task for the obvious fallacy of his claim that “they [Israel and the Jews] stole the land from the Arabs”
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
7 
2
Fliss
5:36 am
Oct 29, 2012
Jews stole the land from the Arabs?! No, sorry Vincent Browne you have it the wrong way around. I suggest you read a history book – and by that I do not mean a revisionist one.
Hot debate. What do you think?
5 
3
L
6:24 am
Oct 29, 2012
It would be very sad to think that the majority of Irish people hold similar views to that of Vincent Browne regarding Israel.
I am at least heartened by the fact that contemporary Irish commentators include the likes of film maker Nicky Larkin. See http://www.facebook.com/fortyshades
Agree or Disagree:
1 
2
Frank_mtl
10:45 am
Oct 29, 2012
“I don’t think I differ too much from Irish or European foreign policy,” he said.
Get a grip idiot! Antisemitism in most of Europe is practically fed directly from the mothers’ teat.
Agree or Disagree:
2 
2
Annette
10:59 am
Oct 29, 2012
This hemmorhoid seems to forget a few things:
1) Israel in ’48 was the first country in the history of the world to be created by a diplomatic vote of world countries, and not by brute force
2) The land was ALWAYS populated by Jews in some number for the last 2000 years
3)Control of the land in the last couple thousand years: Israelites –>Philistines –>Israel –> Babylonians –>Persians –> Greeks –>Israel –> Marmalukes (muslims) –> ottomans –> British –>Israel
Who has been there the most?
Well-loved. Agree or Disagree:
7 
2
Liliane
12:21 pm
Oct 29, 2012
Mr Browne you are an anti-semite and you are the “MALIGNANT CANCER” The time has come for you to go back to school and get some knowledge about the land of the Jews it is their ancestral homeland
Can you explain to me why do the Arabs countries do not accept Palestinians in their own countries like Egypt, Sudan,Syria, Iran and so on ? ? ?
Agree or Disagree:
3 
3
oferdesade
12:56 pm
Oct 29, 2012
you will find this use of the cancer metaphor most prevalent in catholic cultures that do not accept vatican-2. it was first used by pius-12, whose administration had signed a peace pact with nazi germany, after the war when they objected to the establishment oof a jewish state, stating that it would be a socialist virus that would spread (i guess in those days, the word virus was equivalent to cancer – a word not readily used at the time by anyone).
the rabid hate emanating from ireland and the catholic and anglican churc hes in england knows know parallel in the western world. although this is hate aimed at israel – and therefore not ostensibly antisemitic – the fact that these are its so
Agree or Disagree:
3 
2
oferdesade
12:57 pm
Oct 29, 2012
… the fact that these are its sources speaks volumes
Agree or Disagree:
0 
1
Ed Frias
2:16 pm
Oct 29, 2012
The 48 war was the was the result of the Palestinians together with their Arab allies to perform ethnic cleansing on the Jews and their failure to complete it.
Every single Jew in the parts of the Mandate seized by the Arabs was expelled from their homes. No exceptions. They even dynamited the entire ancient Jewish quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem in an attempt to wipe out the history of Jewish residence there. They also made it illegal for a Jew to live in the areas of the former Mandate that they controlled, including East Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza and Jordan.
850,000 Jews were also forced from the Arab countries.
Agree or Disagree:
1 
2
Ed Frias
2:17 pm
Oct 29, 2012
After the 5 Arab armies attacked Israel in 48, Haj Amin Al Husseini stated:
I declare a holy war, my muslim brothers! Murder the Jews! Murder them all!
The Arab League Secretary, General Azzam Pasha declared “a holy war. He said, “This will be a war of extermination and a momentous massacre which will be spoken of like the Mongolian massacres and the Crusades.
Agree or Disagree:
0 
2