Sir, – You reiterate Israeli military reports that “five militants were killed” in an Israeli military raid on Nablus in the Occupied West Bank (“Six Palestinians killed in West Bank clashes with Israeli forces”, World, October 25th).
Al-Jazeera and the Guardian reported on Tuesday evening that two of the fatalities, Hamdi Sharaf and Ali Antar, were “unarmed barbers who were on their way home from work when they were shot dead on the street by Israeli special forces”.
As for the “sixth Palestinian . . . killed in clashes elsewhere in the West Bank”, Palestinian outlets media report that Qusai Tamimi, 20 years old, was “hit by a live bullet in the chest during confrontations at the entrance to the village” of Nabi Saleh.
There is little chance of an inquest into their deaths, and even less likelihood of justice. Their deaths will soon be eclipsed by further deaths of innocents; ephemeral footnotes in media coverage of a brutal military occupation that our political leaders have done so little to challenge.
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The least that we can do is say their names. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN Ó ÉIGEARTAIGH,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – I read Jade Wilson’s piece on the plight of Palestinian farmers, and others living in the West Bank, with appreciation (“There are so many sanctions on Russia, but not a single sanction here”, World, October 26th). Coverage of events in Palestine often centres on violence and conflict, which, of course, is a daily occurrence, but not often on the daily reality of people trying to live their lives, make a living and educate themselves and their children while suffering incursions by illegal Israeli settlers and Israeli occupation forces.
The olive harvest is going on now in Palestine. Palestinians organise the harvest by use of the meitheal, as was the tradition in Ireland.
As a people with deep connections to the land, Irish people will understand the emotions surrounding the harvesting of a crop which a family has planted, tended and brought to fruition.
Now, imagine the horror for Palestinian farmers as illegal settlers intensify their attacks and olive trees are being burned, poisoned and stolen, causing extreme emotional and as well as economic damage, in a region where 80,000 families depend on the olive trade.
Your headline asks why there are no sanctions for these and other illegal and violent actions by Israel. Indeed, we do too.
I ask the Irish people to lend their voices not only in condemnation of Israeli violations but also to call on the international community to restrict economic activity with illegal settlements built on stolen Palestinians lands. – Yours, etc,
CATHY POWER,
Mission of the
State of Palestine,
Dublin 6.