Madam, - David Peter Fine (July 13th) asks rhetorically how Israel is supposed to respond to rocket attacks and kidnappings, implying that the tactics used in its assault in Gaza are justified.
Israel has deliberately struck at bridges, viaducts and an electricity plant, cutting off water supplies and crippling the sewerage systems. This is a collective punishment of the entire Gaza population, further fomenting hatred towards Israel. Civilians have been killed, including a family of nine, yet Mr Fine recognises only that Palestinians are suffering "economically".
He claims they are a people who support terrorism. Terrorism is an easy term to rely on as it ends all discussion on any injustice towards the Palestinians in the past and the brutal tactics used by Israel.
He also writes that "scant attention is paid to the fact that Israel had already withdrawn from Gaza". This withdrawal was part of a broader political stategy. In fact, it was a side show for the construction of the wall in the West Bank, highlighting Israel's determination to annex even more land from the Palestinians, while trampling over their human rights and ignoring international law.
Mr Fine states that Israel is one of the few democracies in the Middle East. Are these the actions of a democratic country? - Yours, etc,
PAUL SCANLON, Knocklyon, Dublin 16.