Ireland’s recognition of Palestine

Making a difference

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Sir, – Robert Grace (Letters, May 30th) hopes that the undergraduates whose consciences have compelled to them protest against Israel’s war in Gaza will “walk the walk” and use their holidays to volunteer in the besieged territory.

Perhaps Mr Grace can add to his constructive contribution by advising how the students best avoid being held up at the border like the vast majority of aid destined for Gaza or, indeed, how to avoid suffering the fate of the 254 aid workers who have tragically lost their lives in Gaza since October 2023. – Yours, etc,

CHRISTOPHER McCANN,

Dublin 6.

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Sir, – Gideon Ohana (Letters, May 30th) makes the point that the state of Israel needs a viable partner with whom to make peace. If it persists in continuing the slaughter of innocent civilians, the destruction of any and all infrastructure, and the dismissal of any opinion or view other than its own, there will be no partner left with whom to discuss any form of peace.

Israel has a right to exist, and a right to protect its borders. It does not have a right to move those borders in its own favour, or to ignore international law. – Yours, etc,

PAT QUINN,

Inchicore,

Dublin 8.

Sir, – On what Taoiseach Simon Harris described as “a historic day”, Ireland recognised the state of Palestine and Palestine’s soon-to-be-ambassador, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, was applauded by all sides of the Dáil.

I look forward to another “historic day” and accompanying rounds of applause from all sides of the Dáil when Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid condemns unequivocally the murders, rapes and other atrocities perpetrated on and since October 7th by a proscribed terrorist organisation, Hamas, and its members, all of whom are citizens of the state she represents. – Yours, etc,

RORY O’SULLIVAN,

Dublin 8.

Sir, – A letter writer’s sensitivities have been upset by the thought of flying the flag of a foreign entity over Leinster House (Letters, May 29th). However, if he looks again at your front page photograph of the flying of the Palestinian flag he will note that the national flag is flying over Leinster House and the Palestinian flag, together with the flags of Ukraine and the EU, are flying on flagpoles on the lawn of Leinster House. – Yours, etc,

JUSTIN KILCULLEN,

Dublin 18.