Letters to the editor: Peaceful? not these protesters

Peaceful? not these protesters

You reported Emily Thornberry’s call for Israel to stop the “vicious and avoidable slaughter of peaceful protesters” on the Gaza border and her condemnation of the Netanyahu government for its “brutal, lethal and utterly unjustified actions”.²

Is she unaware these “unarmed” protesters throw rocks (not pebbles) and Molotov cocktails at Israeli troops, fly kites and balloons with incendiary devices over the border to burn the fields of Israeli farmers and fire guns and set bombs along the border?

Some protesters may well be under 18 and could therefore be described technically as “children”, but it is not reasonable to expect Israeli troops to check their birth certificates before taking measures to prevent them from carrying out the above “peaceful” activities.

What would happen if large numbers breached the border fence and reached nearby Israeli villages can easily be imagined, but I doubt Ms Thornberry would decry the resulting massacre in such strong terms.

In all probability, it would be described as “justified” by frustration at the lack of progress in ending the “illegal occupation”.

Martin D Stern, Salford

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This is disrespectful to the dead

There are at least two valid reasons to adjust the  human bones in the Jerusalem exhibition.

Using genuine human remains is disrespectful to the dead who should be buried in peace. The museum should also use reconstructions, not real bodies, because at present it seems Cohanim would not able be to attend the museum building.

Joseph Feld, NW11

Questions for Dina Brawer

If in Dina Brawer we now have an Orthodox female rabbi, where can she make up a minyan, say kaddish and answer questions from men on issues such as women obtaining a get?

Given a person is Jewish only from the matriarchal line, there is no reason a person should not be Jewish from his or her father. I note this “rabbah” obtains smicha in America and intends to live there.

I see little value in a couple of years’ study and a two-hour exam against a wise woman who has the opportunity to learn from her husband over a long period in which she gains experience dealing with practical matters.

Noach Bright, Stamford Hill

Facts on Gaza that were not reported

We have grown sadly accustomed to biased and irresponsible reporting in the media of matters concerning Israel, especially from the likes of the BBC.

But I never expected to raise the same accusation against Jewish News.

In reporting on the killings at the Gaza border on 14 May, you quoted Theresa May calling for an “independent investigation” and that the MP Alistair Burt had claimed the “large volume of fire is extremely concerning”.

What you failed to report was that both these speakers stressed during their remarks  that Israel has a right to defend its borders.

It is in the context of Israel’s rights to defend its borders that their comments must be considered.

This contrasts sharply with the vile comments made by Jeremy Corbyn (who you seem to have such pleasure in quoting every week in your paper) and in particular Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry.

Neither made any mention of Israel’s right to defend itself but rather unilaterally condemned the country in the harshest of terms.

Daniel Shear, By email

Let them say their kaddish inside Gaza

Would those people who gathered in Parliament Square to say Kaddish for Hamas terrorists rather be saying kaddish for dead Israelis?  Gaza’s ‘peaceful protesters’ were armed with knives, machetes and explosives as well as being equipped with Google maps on how to reach communities in Israel. Their intention was slaughter. Those saying kaddish for terrorists killed by the IDF defending Israeli citizens wilfully ignore this salient fact. I suggest their parents book them one-way tickets to Gaza so they can say Kaddish in person. I doubt whether they would have use of a return ticket.

Ruth Leveson, Temple Fortune

Trump’s Iran courage

Congratulations to Donald Trump, who had the courage to withdraw from one of the worst and most destabilising deals in history. The Iran-Obama nuke pact was the biggest cause of instability in the Middle East, allowing Iran to fund up, make war in Yemen, open five massive bases in Syria to attack Israel, back many other terrorist-supporting and destabilising forces, and continue to refine its nuclear programme for eventual weapons. Hopefully Iran will now be defunded and real change forced on the regime.

Harold Miller, By email