Sir, – As members of Jewish Voice for Just Peace (Ireland), a group of Jewish people living in Ireland, north and south, we have full sympathy with Melanie Brown when she writes about some Jewish people in Ireland facing anti-Semitic attacks by people who consider Jewish people responsible for the actions of the state of Israel ("Harsh reality of being Jewish in Ireland when Israel is in the news", Rite & Reason, June 15th). We also agree that anti-Semitism, like all forms of racism, should never be tolerated. While aware that anti-Semitism is real, we do not agree with elevating anti-Semitism above other forms of racism. Doing so risks damaging any possible solidarities between racialised groups and does nothing to actually protect Jewish people from anti-Semitic attacks. Jewish Voice for Just Peace (Ireland) opposes the colonisation of Palestine and the oppression of Palestinian people by the state of Israel.
Like a growing number of Jewish people around the world, including Israel, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinians in their unified resistance against Israeli apartheid, colonisation, land theft, mass arrests, and extra-judicial killings, particularly, but not exclusively, during the most recent violent assault of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and within the state of Israel. We shall continue to support the Palestinians in their just struggle for freedom, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. – Yours, etc,
SONYA COTTON,
RONIT LENTIN,
SETH LINDER,
SUE PENTEL,
Jewish Voice
for Just Peace (Ireland),
Dublin2.