Letters

Israel-Hamas conflict

The killing of civilians is wrong. An atrocity is an atrocity

Mon Oct 30 2023 - 04:39

Sir, – I unequivocally condemn the evil barbarism visited on innocent Israelis on October 7th, but one must ask: is Israel’s military strategy in Gaza the mark of a civilised democracy? Is it a wise one? Will it be effective?

One might look to the so-called war on terror that followed the 9/11 attacks, which actually made the situation in the Middle East worse. The US government knows this, yet persists with its almost unconditional support of Israel.

The definition of “self-defence” seems to have become so elastic that in now appears to include a licence to commit war crimes and breaches of international law, including the killing and mass displacement of innocent civilians and the cutting off of water, food and power supplies from a captive civilian population.

If self-defence can include the killing of innocent civilians by one side, then the other side can claim the same.

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We have rules of war for a reason: to civilise, in so far as is possible, the prosecution of wars.

The killing of civilians is wrong. An atrocity is an atrocity. A war crime is a war crime. A breach of international law is a breach of international law. It does not depend on who commits them.

We are facing yet another spiral of atrocities, which will fuel more sorrow and hate, which in turn will fuel yet more atrocities.

It is almost universally agreed that the only ultimate solution to the ongoing wars and violence in Israel and Palestine is a two-state solution.

The sooner the parties sit down and negotiate a deal that is acceptable to both sides the better, for the sake of both Palestinians and Israelis.

In the meantime, the EU, which supposedly has “the aim of ending the frequent and bloody conflicts”, and which purportedly espouses the principles of “the rule of law” and “promoting peace and stability”, needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror. – Yours, etc,

ROB SADLIER,

Rathfarnham, Dublin 16

Sir, – I couldn’t agree more with Daniel Geary (“As Israel-Hamas war escalates, dangers of Biden’s embrace become more apparent”, Opinion, October 26th).

What Hamas did was repugnant in the extreme but what Israel has done since is equally repugnant.

The fact remains that the US has never seriously imposed its will on Israel – purporting to support a two-state solution, while strengthening just one side militarily; appearing to champion humanitarian aid while supplying the weapons responsible for that very same carnage.

Although Ireland is compromised through our reliance on US corporation tax, we should not allow that to prevent us speaking up when we see wrongdoing from any source, as President Higgins has done. – Yours, etc,

PETER McNALLY,

Skerries, Co Dublin.

Sir, – I am pleased to note that “after hours of negotiations”, EU leaders agreed a statement which sought humanitarian pauses in the war in Gaza (News, October 27th). Is this the best result that hours of negotiation can produce – surely a case of the mountain giving birth to a mouse. – Yours, etc,

NEVILLE SCARGILL,

Bray, Co Wicklow.

Sir, – To the good people of Israel.

How have you allowed your dignity and humanity to be betrayed by a coterie of those who in hubris have lost all credibility in the eyes of the civilised world.

Surely in view of your own history of being dehumanised ,brutally abused and subject to ethnic cleansing you cannot be blind to what is being inflicted on fellow human beings in Gaza; those men, women and children who are innocent.

Regardless of the reasons put forward, you must not allow yourselves to be dragged into the pit of evil which will reverberate for generations to come and will bring pain and agony to your nation.

Stand up for humanity, dignity and truth.

Stand up for a just and lasting peace.

DOMHNALL Ó BROIN,

Lisburn,

Co Antrim.