‘If Israel succeeds in Gaza’

Sir, – Fintan O’Toole has given us a comprehensive, indeed, graphic analysis of how Israel in its brutal invasion of Gaza has abandoned its human rights principles and undermined its claim to be the only truly democratic country in the region (“If Israel succeeds in Gaza, it will drag the West down with it”, Opinion & Analysis, April 9th).

In terms of Israeli expansion, he quotes the words of David Ben-Gurion, who in 1938, saw an opportunity for the transfer of the Palestinian population to Arab countries, something that Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu is reported to be actively pursuing, although he does not confine this policy to any one country or region.

However, it is worth pointing out that 10 years later, perhaps older and wiser, Ben-Gurion counselled against the conquest of the West Bank, his priority being the need to focus on the building of a nation. After the Six-Day War in 1967 , he advised that Israel give up the Occupied Territories in the interests of long-term peace.

It is precisely that type of statesmanship that is now required but is sadly lacking in Israel. – Yours, etc,