What motivates Netanyahu
Sir, – In Diarmuid Ferriter’s column “Motivation for Netanyahu’s hideous war on Gaza is not only self-interest. It’s far worse” (Opinion, August 29th), he details historian Avi Schlaim’s claim that Binyamin Netanyahu is “a far-right, racist Jewish supremacist” whose philosophy is based on the founding father of revisionist Zionism, Ze’ev Jabotinsky.
As he points out, Jabotinsky believed an iron wall of Jewish military power was a necessity to obtain an independent Jewish state in Palestine. However, to achieve this, Jabotinsky founded a Hebrew youth movement, promoting military strength and territorial maximalism. He is the founding father of military Zionism and one of the most commemorated historical figures in Israel.
He was the inspiration behind the forming of the Zionist paramilitary organisation, the Irgun, of which Menachem Begin, a future Israeli prime minister, was commander. Furthermore, prime minister Yitzhak Shamir became the leader of the Lehi paramilitary group known as the “Stern Gang”, while prime minister Ariel Sharon was a member of the paramilitary group, the Haganah.
The Haganah were responsible for the roll-out of Plan Dalet in 1947-48, a plan that laid siege to and razed Arab villages. It is what Palestinians describe as the “Nakba” or “catastrophe”.
RM Block
While it is true that these paramilitary groups played a big role in defence of their Jewish communities, their tactics metamorphosed into what many historians and international observers view as ethnic cleansing – which has laid the groundwork for this enduring conflict.
This military supremacist theme is probably best summed up by the president of Israel Isaac Herzog – who holds the role that embodies national unity and the values of the Israeli state – when he suggested that Palestinian civilians in Gaza bore responsibility for the Hamas-led attacks on Israel stating: “It is an entire nation out there that is responsible”. – Yours, etc,
STEVE RAWSON,
Killester,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – Many of the actions of the Israeli government and their defence forces since October 7th have been indefensible and inexcusable.
Still, I hope that your readers will note that the biggest protests against the war have not been in Dublin, London, Paris or New York, but in Tel Aviv. Israelis live in a deeply complicated region in a deeply complicated time.
There are many questions to be asked as to why so many of them continue to support this war. The easy, lazy answer I see too often in the pages of yours and other European publications is that they are just bad people. – Yours, etc,
JEREMY O’FRIEL,
Fifth Avenue,
New York.
Abandoning Lebanon
Sir, – It is with great sadness as an ex-member of the Defence Forces who served with the 51st Irish Infantry Battalion in Lebanon during Israel’s invasion in 1982 to see the end of Unifil’s mandate.
However, the real sadness is knowing that Lebanon is being abandoned and is most certainly going to suffer greatly as Israel presses ahead with its stated plans for a greater Israel.
Within 12 months of the withdrawal of Unifil, Israel will force the local population to move north of the Litani river and will be quickly replaced by Israeli, Jewish settlers.
We will then be confronted by a toothless United Nations and a gutless, head-in-the-sand European Union. I am sure the people of Lebanon are having sleepless nights already as they know what the future holds for them. – Yours, etc,
DAMIEN WHITE,
Crumlin Road,
Dublin 12.
Funding higher education
Sir, – Your editorial on funding higher education (“An investment rather than a cost,” Comment and Letters, Aug 27th) rightly describes the sector as a “vital long-term investment”. But beyond producing skilled workers, universities are places that offer societies ways to make meaning of complex issues than touch all of our lives.
Through education and research they can help us imagine what we’d like our societies to be in the future; to continuously interrogate our pasts; and to guide policy and politics with relevant know-how and knowledge for our present. When open to the world and meaningfully engaged with the communities that give them social licence to operate, they offer not just economic returns but hope.
In an age of geopolitical uncertainty, institutions like universities matter. When the Government, and by extension voters, consider long-term investment for Ireland, it should see its universities as vital democratic infrastructure. – Yours, etc,
Dr SHANE BERGIN,
School of Education,
University College Dublin.
Steps: Quality versus quantity
Sir, – With reference to the recent article by Muiris Houston on the subject of steps (“Good news for those who don’t complete 10,000 steps a day,” Health & Family, August 26th), I currently use a tracker to measure daily step-counts and other health-related data.
As the article states, a step vary can from “gym sessions or even structured walking” or from “everyday activities such as tidying up and general movement around the house”. Yes, my step count involves pottering around the house, cutting the grass, playing piano, clapping at concerts, etc.
But surely the quality of a step needs to be considered in the context of health benefits and not simply on the number of steps of all kinds. For instance, every morning I have a brisk walk around our local park and use exercise equipment, breathing in the fresh air. I would contend that this latter activity is of far more benefit to my health than steps involving general movement around the house. Just simply using the total number of steps masks quality differences in health benefits from different definitions of steps.- Yours, etc,
BRIAN E McELROY,
Rock Road,
Blackrock,
Co Louth.
McWilliams on housing
Sir, – David McWilliams (“Houses are being built, so why can’t ordinary people buy them?”, Weekend, August 23rd) suggests that the State is competing with first-time buyers and does not receive any discount from developers.
Under Part V of the Planning Act, a developer is required to offer a minimum number of homes to a local authority at a discount or “existing land value”. Dublin city figures show that Part V is often cheaper than direct-build projects.
Research by the Irish Council for Social Housing shows that where 20 per cent of a development is pre-purchased, this actually assists the developer in securing finance and makes the overall scheme more viable – meaning more homes to buy and rent.
Only recently, The Irish Times highlighted how 500 new social homes have been delayed as Minister for Housing James Browne raised legitimate concerns over value for money. Affordability for first-time buyers is defined by how much they can borrow. That’s why the First Home and Help to Buy schemes are crucial. – Yours, etc,
Cllr DAVID McMANUS,
South Dublin County Council,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24.
Clare Daly, Mick Wallace and Catherine Connolly
Sir, – The recent assertion from Irish Times columnist Justine McCarthy that Catherine Connolly must “unhitch” her campaign from Clare Daly and Mick Wallace is neither informative, accurate or relevant to this presidential election (“Catherine Connolly’s continuing association with Clare Daly and Mick Wallace is troubling,” Opinion, August 29th)
To date, neither Ms Daly nor Mr Wallace have played a role in Ms Connolly’s campaign; be it through campaign visits, social media posts, or any other content or actions. In actuality, the only times Ms Connolly has mentioned the duo is in response to questions from the media themselves.
When responding to this questioning, Ms Connolly correctly indicated they are free to volunteer for her campaign, as is the right of any civically-minded citizen.
Therefore, it’s easy to conclude that there is nothing for Ms Connolly’s campaign to “unhitch” from, except perhaps a sensationalist media that will cynically leverage every interview with Ms Connolly to make this a story.
Amid the rise of the far right, and with prominent far-right hopefuls seeking the presidential nomination, one would think legacy media has a careful responsibility to inform their readers and not be purveyors of disinformation themselves. – Yours, etc,
DYLAN MURPHY,
Co Dublin.
Holding pattern
Sir, – While being kept on hold in excess of 20 minutes, trying to speak with a health insurance company representative, I did wonder when will insurance companies, banks, telephone companies, airline companies, etc, get to grips with “higher than usual volume of calls”.
Or is there actually any desire to do so? In any event, change the message because “higher than usual volumes” is no longer credible. – Yours, etc,
ERIK SPEEKENBRINK,
Drumshanbo,
Co Leitrim.
Access to the countryside?
Sir, – Michael Gibbons, in his letter of August 29th, raises some valid concerns about the policy being pursued by the State authorities which involves developing heavily promoted walking facilities in a few selected areas while doing nothing to develop legal rights of way (still less a right to roam) in the rest of our countryside.
I really wonder if the Government’s strategy on walking, and outdoor recreation in general, is predicated on a refusal to contemplate passing legislation to allow free and widespread access by citizens and visitors to the rest of our countryside? – Yours, etc,
RICHARD BARRETT,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Remembering Cyril Daly
Sir, – Dr Cyril Daly (An Irishman’s Diary, August 25th) was my childhood hero. I read his regular columns in the Sunday Independent, describing and condemning corporal punishment in schools, with horror and yet with recognition.
We pupils were caned regularly by our lay teacher in primary school throughout the 1960s and, even though we were young, we realised that children from poorer families were hit most often.
To have an adult advocating on behalf of all Irish children in a national newspaper was a vindication of our suffering, which most other adults routinely tolerated.
While I was pleased that Dr Daly’s achievements were mentioned in Sinead O’Shea’s excellent documentary, Pray for our Sinners, about doctors Paddy and Mary Randles in Navan, it would be important if a dedicated documentary could be produced about Cyril Daly’s struggles and success, while those who remember him are still here to contribute. – Yours, etc,
ESTHER CLARK,
Dundrum,
Dublin Dublin 16.
No Electric Picnic on RTÉ?
Sir, – On Friday evening I settled down hoping RTÉ might cover some of the fine Irish and international acts performing at Electric Picnic, much as the BBC does for Glastonbury. Instead, RTÉ2 aired Great Coastal Railway Journeys, following former Tory politician Michael Portillo around Cumbria in the UK, a series also available on the BBC, while RTÉ One screened Downton Abbey: A New Era. Hurrah.
Meanwhile, performers whose politics echo struggles familiar to many Irish, voices being silenced across the Irish Sea, go unheard on our national broadcaster. Even on our doorstep, RTÉ’s coverage of Irish music culture misses a beat. – Yours, etc.
ELIZABETH McNULTY,
Portmarnock,
Co Dublin.
School secretaries and caretakers
Sir, – I am writing to express my complete support for the pensions and leave entitlements campaign of school secretaries and caretakers. I agree with Aoife Kelly Gibson (Letters, August 30th) when she states that secretaries and caretakers are the backbone of every school.
They are very much valued in their individual schools where their incredible work is acknowledged and appreciated. The Department of Education and Youth must now recognise their critically important roles, not just through lip service, but by resolving this dispute over their pensions and other entitlements as soon as possible before any further impact on schools. – Yours, etc,
CONOR HARRISON,
Chairperson, Board of Management,
Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School,
Dublin 24.
