Letters: War in Gaza is existential for Israel, we should have more nuanced discussion

Irish Independent

10 hours ago

The editorial and one letter gave credence to Dr Nick Maynard who is on record as stating that, despite extensive evidence to the contrary, he has never seen Hamas operating in his hospital. He has accused the IDF of playing a game whereby it shoots different parts of kids' bodies on different days. How likely is that?
One of the first questions we all should ask when listening to evidence is 'cui bono?' or who benefits?
In 2014, Hamas released a video instructing journalists and witnesses how to report on events in Gaza. It states 'anyone killed or martyred is to be called a civilian from Gaza or Palestine... Don't forget to always add 'innocent civilian' or 'innocent citizen' in your description of those killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza'
In his letter, the usually balanced Rob Sadlier sees similarities between Sarajevo and Gaza. Important differences are that Serbs, unlike Israel, were not attacked. Indeed Israel forcibly removed its settlers from Gaza in 2005; residents of Sarajevo were not holding Serbian hostages; the Serbian armed forces (and the Nato bombing response) did not warn civilians to evacuate areas where bombings were planned.
Every Gazan non-combatant killed is a tragedy, but to compare fighting against Hamas with the random bombing of Sarajevo is unfair. I am a long-term supporter of reconciliation and a two-state solution to this issue. I know that conscript armies commit atrocities in war and I am appalled by the statements of Israeli extremists.
Since October 7, I have seen a large increase in international references to Éamon De Valera's letter on the death of Adolf Hitler. This issue is harmful for Ireland and I hope we can have a more nuanced discussion that does not feed accusations of antisemitism but also understands that for Israel, this is existential.
Frank Devine, Kenilworth, England
The Holocaust's lessons are being forgotten and hatred is rising once again
The lessons of the Holocaust are searingly relevant today. It is dispiriting that 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, hatred and intolerance still lurk in the human heart. Language is used to dehumanise, demoralise and demonise others. People in Gaza are neither alive, nor dead. They are walking skeletons.
The heart-wrenching images of children becoming wretched, destitute, with little more than skin covering their bones, should shame the world that prides itself on championing human rights and dignities.
We must be fearless in resisting violence. We must never rest in seeking to create a fairer and peaceful world for all without exception.
Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London
Slaughter of innocents in Gaza shames all of us who watch on and fail to act
Nothing disgusts me more than seeing the absolute slaughter of men, women and children in Gaza.
Since the Israeli invasion, tens of thousands of people have been killed, 17,000 of them innocent children.
Food trucks are only allowed in periodically, and the starving and besieged people are subjected to gunfire as they race to obtain sustenance in order to feed themselves.
Recent reports suggest that many young boys appear to have been used as target practice. This is horrendous.
As babies appear every night on our television screens looking like skeletons with a haunting look of death and despair on their faces, it should move the coldest of hearts in world leadership roles into action to alleviate their suffering instantly. But no, they talk and talk, but do not intervene in this total barbarism.
The people of Palestine are ordinary human beings and as such should be protected by human rights law. Anything else is a dereliction of duty by their fellow human beings.
Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo
President of Uruguay set an incredible example of selflessness and charity
I would ike to pay tribute to a president who died a few months ago. President José Mujica of Uruguay held office from 2010 to 2015 and was described as the world's poorest president.
He shunned the presidential palace and remained at home on his farm driving his tractor and his beloved Volkswagen Beetle. He shared his salary with the poor. He believed his lifestyle was normal and not exceptional. In his earlier life he opposed the democratically elected government as he firmly believed it was corrupt, clandestine, up to its eyes in backhanders and ultimately authoritarian. For his sins, he was arrested, banged up, shot six times but miraculously lived and was ultimately elected president.
Noel Mannion, Clonbur, Co Galway
We could secure energy needs for decades – but private profit trumps all
I have been trying to avoid the news cycle while on holidays here in ­Donegal. However, a couple of stories did manage to catch my attention.
Firstly the Oireachtas hearings on offshore renewable energy development and government subsidies for improving port infrastructure to facilitate it. Secondly, the upgrades to our national grid, which are to be paid for by a levy on energy consumers.
If the Government invested around €10bn in a single, large, publicly owned offshore wind project, then profits from this could be used to upgrade both the grid and our ports.
Belfast Port could be used in the interim. Furthermore, this would help ­secure our energy needs for decades to come and, once the initial investment is recouped, profits could be pumped into a sovereign wealth fund (as the Norwegians do with revenues). But, alas, there are no plans for ­anything like this. It does not even seem to form part of the discussion.
No, just taxpayers' money being used to upgrade ports for the benefit of (oftentimes foreign) private corporations which will, in turn, exploit our natural energy resources.
Paddy Sharkey, Kilcar, Co Donegal
RTÉ should show due respect to counties in the camogie championship
On Saturday evening I listened to the RTÉ Radio news and sport bulletin at 10pm. The lead sports item covered was the transfer of a player to Arsenal football club in Britain.
Down the pecking order was a brief report on the Camogie All-Ireland semi finals played in Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. The O'Duffy Cup is the women's equivalent of the Liam MacCarthy Cup and should have been treated as such.
Tom Cooper, Templeogue, Dublin