Letter: State of Israel deserves full support - particularly from those in Northern Ireland who can empathise
Murdering citizens because of their ethnicity or religion. Storing illegal weaponry within civic buildings and infrastructure. Hiding terrorists within the homes of sympathisers. Spreading lies and misinformation to demonise a lawful, peaceful, democratic country. Exploiting the ignorant, the uninformed and the gullible to spread vile propaganda.
All of the above tactics have been used by terrorist thugs against the democratic state of Northern Ireland and by Hamas against the democratic state of Israel.
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Hide AdTragically, the IRA’s campaign has largely succeeded as successive UK governments and local politicians chose the path of appeasement.
However, despite being surrounded by numerically superior hostile forces, the state of Israel stands resolute in defence of her citizens and democracy.
In doing so, they deserve the full support of all right-thinking persons, especially those from Northern Ireland who can empathise with the tactics being used against them.
As the world’s oldest English language newspaper with a 287-year heritage, this paper’s editorial of September 21 (The brave Israelis defend themselves against barbarians) in defence of Israel is most welcome and greatly needed to counter the often thinly disguised anti-semitism evident elsewhere across media outlets.
If not already shared with the Israeli UK Embassy, I would encourage the editor to do so as a show of solidarity in these challenging times.
Thomas Smyth, Belfast