Letter to the Editor: The lazy characterisation of the Israel/Palestine conflict offered by Venk Shenoi in last weeks Forester falls way short of reality.
The reason Palestinians have never been able to demonstrate that they can run a country of their own is that they have never had the chance.
Mr Venk Shenoi was born at a time when many in Britain would quote his last sentence about Palestine back at him by submitting India (his country of origin) for it so it would read: ‘’Hopefully India one day will have their own country but they will have to first prove they are fit to govern themselves”.
Indian citizens of his generation would make the point that it was British Colonialism that prevented India from showing it was ‘fit to run itself’ until it got independence 75 years ago.
Look at it now. An Indian space craft on the moon and a greater economic power than the UK!!
Palestinians have tried to compromise with Israel.
An agreement was reached that there be two states side by side - Palestine and Israel.
The Israeli’s have never honoured their commitment.
They have poured violent armed settlers into Palestinian territory who are determined to take everything for themselves.
Under international law the Palestinians have the right to take up arms to fight the occupier.
When France was occupied during the last war the French resistance were called terrorists - by the Nazi occupiers.
To us British, they were heroes.
No matter what you think of Hamas, to allow Israel to bomb defenceless and innocent civilians so that they are punished for Hamas terrorism is itself terrorism and is unacceptable.
Israel has done more damage to its reputation in the last month than it has done in the previous 50 years because the savage violence it uses to keep the Palestinians subjugated has been exposed to the world in a way that cannot be concealed.
Those of us in Jewish Voice for Labour have argued the cause of the Palestinians for years.
For daring to criticise Israel and US/UK Foreign Policy we have been accused of antisemitism.
This is simply a slur to shut us up.
It will not work.
If you’re a Jew in Kier Starmers Labour Party you have a greater chance of being thrown out as an antisemite for criticising Israel than if you are gentile!
Either there has to be a separate Palestinian state or one country in which all have equal rights.
I agree with one thing that Mr Shenoi says: Britain (and the USA and ‘the west’) should stay out of this.
No arms, no bombs, no money - no international political support.
Not for Israeli apartheid.
John Webster, Lydbrook