Letter: If you are a friend of Israel you will point to how their previous use of overwhelming force has not worked

A letter from Arnold Carton:
By Letters
Published 21st Oct 2023, 03:40 BST
Updated 21st Oct 2023, 03:49 BST
Buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment on al-Zahra, on the outskirts of Gaza City, on Friday. We know from our own history of tit-for-tat sectarian killings the temptation is to hit back harder in the hope of deterring the other side, but this does not bring peace (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)Buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment on al-Zahra, on the outskirts of Gaza City, on Friday. We know from our own history of tit-for-tat sectarian killings the temptation is to hit back harder in the hope of deterring the other side, but this does not bring peace (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)
Buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment on al-Zahra, on the outskirts of Gaza City, on Friday. We know from our own history of tit-for-tat sectarian killings the temptation is to hit back harder in the hope of deterring the other side, but this does not bring peace (AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud)

I was very disappointed by the News Letter editorial from Friday where you praised our prime minister for refusing to pressure Israel to restrict themselves to a proportionate response to the terrorist attack of Oct 7th (‘Rishi Sunak has done the United Kingdom proud in his unwavering support for Israel,’ October 21)

You will know that Israel historically does not respond in a proportionate way to attack.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In 2008/9 Israel responded to 13 deaths by killing over 1100 Palestinians.

Letters to editorLetters to editor
Letters to editor

In 2012 Israel responded to 7 deaths by killing 178 Palestinians.

In 2014 Israel responded to 74 deaths by killing 2,251 Palestinians.

Now, in 2023 Israel suffered 1400 deaths. In their immediate response they killed and recovered the bodies of 1,500 dead Hamas fighters (more than an eye for an eye) and in the bombardment of Gaza over recent days Israel have killed an additional estimated 4,200 Palestinians, including many children.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We know from our own history of tit-for-tat sectarian killings the temptation is to hit back harder in the hope of deterring the other side, with incidents like Teebane, but we found this does not bring peace.

If you are a friend of Israel you will point to how their previous use of overwhelming force in 2008 and 2014 did not work, it did not make Israel safe, that there is a disturbing pattern of escalation over the years.

You would point out that when Sinn Fein began to engage with the electoral process in 1983 many saw no point in talking to them, but over the next 15 years engaging in democracy changed the IRA and we moved towards peace.

In 2014 when I made a similar point, I was told that Gaza was not the same as Belfast and that Israel had to defend itself, but as expected that violent response failed as it will fail again this year. Gaza does not have an ‘SDLP’ or a ‘John Hume’ type politician to ease the political process but a political response is still the path to peace. Israel will discover, as we unwillingly did, that talking to your enemy might not make him your friend, but it will stop you killing each other’s children.

Arnold Carton, Belfast BT6

Related topics:IsraelPalestiniansUnited KingdomRishi SunakJohn HumeGazaHamasBelfast