Wrongs on both sides of Middle Eastern issues

IN response to Steve Liddle’s claim about Israel’s alleged land grabs

(ODT, 29.8.22) it needs to be acknowledged that IsraeliPalestinian relationships are complex.

Many would see this complexity as the result of incompatible promises that Britain made to Jews and Arabs at the time of World War 1.

There are undoubtedly wrongs on both sides. Both sides make allegations of biased reporting in different media.

One does not need to appeal to the Bible to legitimise Israel’s occupation of its land.

It may seem surprising, but there are Arab leaders who understand this.

For instance, in an interview with Kuwait’s Alrai TV channel in November 2017, Abdullah AlHadlaq said ‘‘there is no occupation. There is a people returning to its promised land’’.

‘‘When the State of Israel was established in 1948, there was no state called ‘Palestine’.’’

He also said: ‘‘Like it or not, Israel is an independent sovereign state. Most peaceloving and democratic nations recognise it.

‘‘The group of states that do not recognise Israel are the countries of tyranny and oppression.’’

AlHadlaq cited Koranic verses as proof that ‘‘Israelites have the right to the Holy Land’’.

‘‘Allah assigned that land to them, and they did not plunder it.

‘‘The history of the Israelites is ancient, predating Islam. Therefore we Muslims must acknowledge that the Israelites have a right to that land, and that they have not plundered it,’’ he said.

The source for that is The Times of Israel on November 22, 2017.

James Irwin

Normanby ...................................