Not all Jews are for the Gaza war – their opinions should be sought as well

Monday’s article on the Educate Together AGM row after antisemitism allegations in the wake the of CEO’s protest post seems to imply that ‘Jewish people’ find CEO Emer Nowlan’s attendance at a peaceful demonstration in support of Gaza threatening to Jews living in Ireland.

Some Jewish people may feel this way, but many more do not.

It appears the Irish Independent sought only the views of those Jews who feel threatened by expressions of solidarity with Palestinians.

The article ignores the large and growing number of Jews in Ireland (one signatory of this letter being one of them) who fully support the imposition of sanctions on Israel until it abides by international human rights law.

The desire among Irish people of all faiths and none to halt the atrocities in Gaza is a fundamentally humanitarian impulse.

Palestinian civil society has called for a boycott campaign on Israel to do so. County and city councils, unions, charities and voluntary groups throughout the country have responded to this call.

It is natural that Educate Together schools, which promote equality and social justice, would support this.

People who object to these expressions of pro-Palestinian solidarity do so because of their political views, not because of their religion or ethnicity.

It is understandable that these people feel discomfited by attempts to sanction Israel, but the experience of discomfort is not the same as that of antisemitism.

David Landy, Jews for Palestine – Ireland, Cabra, Dublin 7 Conall Ó Dufaigh, Teachers for Palestine, Bray, Co Wicklow