Serious talking needed to tackle this conflict’s root
OVER 300,000 troops are massing at the Israeli-Gaza border to begin a ground war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. We can understand that emotions are running very high in the Middle-Eastern country. The real danger is that they overreact and kill and maim many innocent men, women and children in Gaza in their efforts to remove the Hamas fighters well-fortified in their underground bunkers.
Vengeance is never the answer. While it is recognised worldwide the absolute right of Israel to defend its borders, perhaps a full-scale invasion of Gaza is not the solution. Maybe now is the time for mediation between the warring parties, facilitated perhaps by the UN, the US, the EU or China.
As we have seen over many years in the North, conflict solves nothing. Dialogue brought peace to our troubled land, supported in no small way by outside influences.
So perhaps now is the time for serious talking to try to solve the root cause of this conflict that has dragged on for many decades. And not revenge fighting, resulting in the slaughter of many innocent people.
As former British prime minister Winston Churchill is quoted as having said: ‘Jaw, jaw is better than war, war’.
Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co. Sligo,
... THE mainstream news media’s coverage of the Israel-Palestinian conflict reveals how ethically challenged they’ve allowed themselves to become.
This includes their reporting on the current violence, as well as their non-reporting on the consequential anti-Palestinian social injustices that have continued in between every military flare-up over decades of Israeli occupation.
Palestinian suffering and deaths in their entirety need to matter to us in the West just as much as that of Israelis. Apparently they haven’t.
Frank Sterle Jnr, British Columbia, Canada
... WHEN the state of Israel was founded, a state of Palestine should also have been established. However, the most recent massacre by Hamas will not endear the West to their cause.
Efrosyni Hobbs, by email
... CUTTING off electricity, water, food and medicine is a war crime.
Gaza, unlike Ukraine, has no army, navy, air force or iron dome, and no shelters, so please don’t call it a war.
Indiscriminately bombing a defenceless population is a war crime and shows the total inhumanity of our so-called democratic, civilised ally.
Azeez Najmudean, by email
Live animal exports
THE Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is currently advising against non-essential travel to Algeria for the human
traveller. It is a pity this advice does not extend to Irish cattle.
Algerian cattle buyers have been in Ireland seeking 12,000 cattle to fulfil a live export order. Irish farmers are once again dipping their soda bread into the swill of live cattle exports to nonEU countries.
The live farm animal export trade, in which profit is placed above animal welfare and respect for the law, should be consigned to history. It is a symptom of a greedy world economy that regards animals as goods, placed on this planet for our own benefit. John Tierney, Chair, Waterford
Animal Concern, Waterford
Courts not biased
THE suggestion that non-resident fathers don’t see their children because the courts are prejudiced against them, or because parents with care deliberately prevent access, is to my mind wrong.
As a family and couples psychotherapist, I have found that most separated couples never go near courts to sort out arrangements about caring for their children, and most lone parents do their utmost to make sure their children stay in close touch with their other parent.
The cases that go to court are probably the most difficult ones. Rather than judges assuming mothers are the best carers, courts will be concerned to preserve as much stability for the child as possible and follow the pattern of care that existed before the separation.
John O’Brien, Clinical Psychotherapist,
Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
My musical roots
IT was so sweet to last week read (Mos) that singing to your plants makes them grow 10% more leaves and produce more food. However, I can’t sing a note and any plants that heard me try would give up on life.
Sarah O’Ryan, by email