Isreal's Right to Exist
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Northern Ireland’s unionist community has some appreciation of the terrorist problems facing the people of Israel. Israel’s Government is daily facing rocket attacks from Hamas terrorists based in Gaza with over ninety rockets landing in southern Israel since 28 February; these daily strikes don’t make the news headlines.
The condemnation of Israel’s retaliation by United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Kimoon is biased and unfair. It is extremely regrettable that of the reported seventy people killed due to the reprisals thirteen were blameless civilians. The suffering of the innocent Jewish or Palestinian victim is equal. Israel has always been willing to comprise and all Israeli governments have been willing to make major sacrifices for real peace. Israel believes it can make peace with level-headed Palestinians who reject terrorism. In Northern Ireland we understand that only when the terrorists put away their guns and bombs can negotiations make progress. Let the UN put the pressure on the Arab countries to take positive action against the terrorists and help generate a constructive atmosphere within which it is possible to promote regional cooperation towards a peaceful settlement. Then the ordinary Jew and Arab will each sleep peacefully in their beds.
Cllr Robin Newton MLA
East Belfast DUP