Sir, – While I believe and hope that nobody thinks that the awful conflict in the Middle East is good or worthwhile, I must say that I am horrified that so many people in Ireland and around the world are supporting and celebrating the actions of the terrorist organisation Hamas.
Personally, I find it very difficult to justify Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza, and the tremendous loss of innocent lives as a result.
However, I think that it is near impossible, and certainly entirely immoral, to support the targeted rape, torture, kidnap and murder which the Hamas terrorists conducted during their attack on Israel.
Hamas is a deeply anti-Semitic organisation, and the vast majority of those who were targeted by their terrorists were targeted simply for being Jewish and Israeli.
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While Israel’s attitudes and actions towards the Palestinian people over the years are certainly questionable and unjust, anybody who feels that any of the actions of Hamas are justifiable in any way ought to take a look at their own values. – Yours, etc,
ILLANN WALL,
Cork.
Sir, – Launching his revenge attack on Gaza, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed “to change the Middle East forever”. The Middle East might indeed be changed forever, but maybe not to Mr Netanyahu’s liking.
The US, already distracted by domestic political issues and the uncertainty of continuing weapon supplies to Ukraine, must now balance its “unwavering” support for Israel’s brutal war on Gaza while making every effort to prevent it escalating out of control. Unfortunately, the visibly frail US president Joe Biden does not inspire confidence.
Meanwhile, as the retaliatory killing and destruction rages on and no prospect of an end plan, on the other side of the world, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are watching and waiting.
We can only hope China doesn’t take advantage of all this turmoil to move on Taiwan. – Yours, etc,
M STAPLETON,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Western governments have denounced the Hamas cross-border attack on the Israeli army and civilians as an atrocity, a massacre, a war crime. Few would disagree. Yet the same governments, with few exceptions, have justified the pulverising of Gaza, the deaths of over 4,000 Palestinians, including 1,200 children, as justifiable in the name of “self-defence”. It would appear the lives of Palestinians matter less, if at all. – Is mise,
TOMAS McBRIDE,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – Hamas is not interested in a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem that doesn’t involve the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Dublin 13.