In the early part of yesterday, Ireland’s most well known socialist millionaire activist was in typically chipper form. Having appeared at one point to relent in the face of pressure to withdraw a series of ill-judged pro-Palestinian comments made in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Israel last week, Cosgrave faced down his critics in the tech sector with typical bluster:
“Trying to cancel a truly global gathering that has always stood for peace and prosperity is not just naive, it’s counter productive”, he wrote. “You can’t be cancelled for wanting peace and adherence to international human rights law. Solidarity with innocent civilians on all sides. I’m not going to relent.”
That was, of course, only half the story, for Cosgrave was not accused of “wanting peace”. Instead his critics had pointed to a series of actions, including funding Irish media outlet The Ditch to the tune of €1m. (The Ditch, while the attacks on Israel were still ongoing, tweeted an image of a Palestinian flag). He had also “liked” a tweet from the same outlet which called Israel a “racist, apartheid state” while Israeli bodies were still being identified, and a tweet from Paul Murphy TD which accused Israel of “the intent to mass murder”. Go figure that some Israelis and Jews weren’t buying the “wanting peace” line.
Nevertheless, Cosgrave said, he was not going to relent. He was simply a man of principle, taking a brave and unpopular stand even though it might cost him some support. Indeed, he declared, it had not cost him support at all: He posted a series of alleged supportive messages that he had received, and declared that the Web Summit had gained more attendees than it had lost. That was all at 9am.
Presumably, at some point between 9am and 1.45pm, Cosgrave had a meeting with his financial team, because lo, not long after the clock had struck for the fourth time, our hero…. Relented:
My apologyhttps://t.co/8wfXPzGKyT
— Paddy Cosgrave (@paddycosgrave) October 17, 2023
The apology itself is a thing of great interest, reading as it does like something which emerged from the annals of an advanced University course in crisis management:
“I understand that what I said, the timing of what I said, and the way it has been presented has caused profound hurt to many. To anyone who was hurt by my words, I apologise deeply. What is needed at this time is compassion, and I did not convey that. My aim is and always has been to strive for peace. Ultimately, I hope with all my heart that this can be achieved…..
……. In my comments, I have tried to do exactly the same as Secretary Blinken and so many others globally: urge Israel in its response to the Hamas atrocities not to cross the boundaries of international law.”
The last bit is of course complete tosh: Cosgrave’s tone and that of US Secretary of State Blinken could hardly have been more different. Cosgrave did not “urge Israel not to cross the boundaries of international law”. He openly appeared to accuse it directly of war crimes – and he certainly at no point made any such similar accusation about Hamas.
What’s more, the apology does not address the stuff that is really annoying so many now ex-Web Summit speakers and attendees: Cosgrave’s overt financial support for the Ditch, which certainly differed in tone from Anthony Blinken, or his “likes” for tweets from people like Paul Murphy, who would hate to be compared to Anthony Blinken. In that respect, it will come as no surprise to readers to learn that the reaction to his apology was mostly derision.
And derision it should be: After all, it turns out that “I will not relent” actually means, in Mr. Cosgrave’s case, “I will relent as soon as my financial interests are at stake”. This, it’s fair to say, casts doubt on all of his principles.
After all, Mr. Cosgrave’s dispute with the Irish Government dates to the time he pulled the Web Summit from Dublin after complaining about dodgy wi-fi access at the RDS. At the time, Government sources said that his real reasons were financial, and about the Irish Government’s unwillingness to cut a big enough cheque. Does Cosgrave’s behaviour in this matter make him, or Government sources, look more credible in that regard?
In any case, his new allies in Sinn Fein should be even more wary than many of them already are, privately. If his support for Palestinians lasted until the very second it caused him problems in business, then there’s no reason to think his support for them would be any different, at all.