I wish that we had a wiser and more decent government in Israel
AS A Jew I sometimes think my co-religionists can be hasty in calling out anti-Semitism. However, I do wonder at their motivation when obviously articulate and well-informed people criticise the rights and opportunities afforded to non-Jews in Israel. Surely they know that Israel is a beacon of respect compared to the treatment Christians and Jews receive in just about every Middle Eastern and North African country? Israel is the one Jewish state in the world and makes great efforts to respect the rights of all its citizens. Perhaps your well-intentioned correspondents could self-reflect on how they can criticise Israel’s failings when staying so silent on the treatment of other faiths in nations where Islam is the state religion.
I am no fan of the current government in Israel. I cannot and will not defend all that they do. There are three core points that I would like to make:
n Both Jew and Arab can demonstrate historical links to the land of Israel. Each side can field experts who will trade dates and events. No doubt there is an Italian somewhere who can point to a farm on Guernsey that once belonged to his ancestor. I doubt the current inhabitant would simply hand over the keys. Palestinians must decide if their future is one of fighting Israel in the hope of taking over the nation or accepting that they can build positive lives on pieces of land other than somewhere a great-grandparent once lived.
n We have had debate in the Guernsey Press on the costs and difficulties of building a tunnel to Jersey and France. Gazans would have had a very different standard of living had the resources that have gone into building the tunnel network and funding Hamas been instead deployed to citizen welfare and economic prosperity. Israel has sought good relations with Gulf states. It would happily co-exist and trade with Gaza if Gazans were willing. And many oil-rich Arab countries would fund the transition.
n The population of Gaza enabled the Hamas takeover and have been unable or unwilling to remove Hamas. Hamas is dedicated to killing Israelis and eliminating the State of Israel. Israel relaxed its guard and suffered an appalling massacre including the taking of hostages. There are no easy options. Either Israel walks away and Hamas retains both willingness and resource to repeat, or Israel fights in an urban area and there are civilian casualties.
I wish that we had a wiser and more decent government in Israel. My observation before and my observation now is that one cannot have Hamas and its indoctrination across the border. So while I cannot support all that the government in Israel does, I accept that militarily confronting Hamas is necessary since there are no viable alternatives.
Mark Windsor wrote, ‘As to the facts of the events of 7 October, the jury is still out’. Really?
RICHARD ALBERG
Les Orgeries
Fermain Lane
St Martin’s