More should visit hidden wonder
Last week I wandered into the foyer of the National Library on Molesworth St and discovered an exhibition celebrating 100 years of the Turnbull Library’s vast collection, called Wonder/Miharo .Itisa veritable cornucopia of historical, artistic and quirky objects and, in my view, is a hidden wonder worthy of more vigorous promotion.
Also in the foyer is an exhibition of photos and videos from the New Zealand music scene in the 1960s, including Geoff Murphy and Bruno Lawrence.
The National Library is very accessible and a visit is highly recommended, topped off with refreshments from an excellent cafe, also in the foyer. John Whitty, Aro Valley
Bias against Israel
I am concerned with Donna Miles-Mojab’s very selective history of the state of Israel (Iran’s shadow war with Iran an obstacle to peace, April 19). Israel’s ‘‘hypermilitarism’’ is the result of decades of deliberate attempts by its neighbours to destroy the only Jewish state.
Israel’s existence was never based on ‘‘violent colonialism’’. Israel agreed to the UN partition plan of 1947 which included an Arab State. It was Israel’s detractors – the neighbouring Arab/Muslim countries which declared war on the little embryonic state of Israel. Their plan to abort the Jewish state failed. We thank God that now some of those nations are making peace with Israel.
As for Iran? When its top international diplomat, Mohammad Javid Zarif, echoes the genocidal threats continually made by Iranian leaders and admits that Iran possesses a missile with ‘‘Israel must be destroyed’’ written on the side of it, then you can understand the serious concern of the Israelis. They must defend their great nation.
The last time the world’s leaders did not take the comments of a man threatening genocide seriously, it resulted in the extermination of six million Jews. I hope this will help people have a bit more perspective without the bias that I detected in Donna’s article.
Pastor Nigel Woodley, Flaxmere Christian Fellowship, Hastings