FRED JOHNSTON,
Sir, - I am writing utterly to deplore the Israeli invasion of Palestinian territory and join my voice with those demanding immediate withdrawal of Ariel Sharon's forces. I might add that I do not condone violence of any kind or from either side in this conflict.
We know what Israel thinks about UN resolutions. As I write, even George W. Bush's call for Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories is ignored - in fact, Israeli incursions increase. Israeli security forces tear-gas and baton participants in anti-Israeli protests, US and European demonstrators among them.
If something similar happened in the streets of Baghdad, we can imagine Bush's well-spun yawp about world terrorism, culminating in God only knows what level of armed response. (If Sharon suddenly told the US what it could do with itself, how, one wonders, would George W. react?)
I call on my fellow writers and artists in Ireland unreservedly to condemn the actions of Israel against the Palestinians. This is not war, it is crime. Slowly, very slowly, Europe is waking up to that fact. - Yours, etc.,
FRED JOHNSTON,
Circular Road,
Galway.
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Sir, - In the past two weeks the Israeli armed troops have killed hundreds, injured thousands and alienated millions. In the process they have violated the Geneva Convention again, ignored yet another UN resolution to pull out of Palestine and attacked the hallowed Church in Bethlehem where Our Saviour Jesus was born. Israel's best buddy has cried "enough! Stop! Pull back."
Whatever about sickening Western and other bleeding-heart states, it is pretty certain that Adolf H. would have approved of this clinical operation, the more so since it was carried out against a "racially inferior" people. Nice work, Mr Sharon. - Yours, etc.,
LAURENCE POWER,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.