Letters: Double standards on display in the Western response to Israel’s actions

SIR – I have seen many people on television talking about the devastation that is happening in Gaza and the suffering of the civilian population there (as opposed to members of Hamas, who are safe in their tunnels). 

I am also hearing the frequent claim that Israel’s reaction to Hamas’s murderous terrorist attack is disproportionate. 

However, I have not heard anyone explain what would constitute a proportionate response to the murder, rape and kidnapping of civilians by an organisation whose sole aim is to destroy Israel and drive every Israeli into the sea.

Cynthia Bengen
London N3

SIR – I am ashamed to think that some families in this country are afraid for their children to go to school because of the behaviour of adults who should know better (“The silent response to the threats made in Britain to Jews is deafening”, Commentary, October 16).

I was horrified by the venom and hatred displayed by some of those at the pro-Palestine rallies in London over the weekend. I have never seen a Jewish gathering showing hostility towards any other group of people.

This whole catastrophe is the result of Hamas’s wish to annihilate the Jews, and its members’ cowardice in hiding beneath innocent Palestinian people’s homes, schools and mosques. Palestine will never be safe until this group is driven out.

Joy Carroll
Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham

SIR – The Israeli government’s stated aim is to destroy Hamas, and I suggest that most reasonable people would support this objective, especially after the recent atrocities. 

A necessary condition for achieving this in the long term is that a majority of Gazans support a less militant political party such as Fatah. But are a siege, continuous bombardment and enforced evacuation the best ways to win hearts and minds? Surely the Israeli government should pause its assault and work with allies to find a peaceful solution.

David Ashford
Bristol

SIR – Penelope Fairclough’s letter (October 16) on the history behind this conflict omits two points. 

First, post-war, there were heavy restrictions on Jewish people, including Holocaust survivors, settling in Palestine as it then was. Many Jews were even sent back to Germany. When the UN eventually agreed to split occupancy of the land between Jews and Palestinians, Israel declared independence in 1948, but was then immediately attacked by Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Secondly, Israel has had to fight two subsequent wars (when it was attacked) to defend itself from extinction.

Edward Page
Milford on Sea, Hampshire
 

Scotland’s future

SIR – The SNP is holding its party conference in Aberdeen, and Scotland’s First Minister will want to throw enough red meat to his nationalist supporters to keep them off his back. 

He hopes the rest of us will, like the nationalists, choose to ignore his flip-flopping on demands for another independence vote. 

We are now advised that there will be a mandate for independence if the SNP wins a majority of Scotland’s Westminster seats, rather than just more than any other party (report, October 16). 

Sadly, however, what concerns all Scots is the serious and utter failure of this administration to deliver on domestic policies such as health, transport and justice. 

The Scottish electorate must get serious and realise that we cannot let the country suffer further incompetence and neglect. We must show the SNP that a majority of seats at the next election is far beyond the party’s grasp.

Richard Allison
Edinburgh
 

Justice delayed

SIR – I felt very sad for the victims of crimes when I read your report (October 16) stating that outstanding fines and victim payments have reached a record £1.5 billion, which is more than double the £611 million a decade ago.

As a magistrate for 25 years, I regularly chaired fines courts at our local courthouse. These were held once a week and summoned all individuals who had outstanding payments. We used our powers – including sentencing to prison – to ensure that regular payments were made and passed on to victims.

Unfortunately, this all changed when HM Courts and Tribunals Service took control of the justice system. Many local courthouses have been closed and specific fines courts are now never held. 

This has led to the huge number of outstanding fines, and is a good example of how centralisation can result in failure.

John Fassenfelt JP
Sittingbourne, Kent
 

Pothole blame

SIR  – Modern cars, with their low-profile tyres, are largely to blame for the perceived pothole problem (report, October 10).

These tyres enable motorists to accelerate and brake more quickly and drive faster round corners. This puts extra strain on the tarmac, where potholes subsequently appear. 

When these motorists hit the resulting potholes themselves, their tyres are less able to absorb the impact, so their wheels are more likely to suffer. Then they complain.

My 13-year-old car has high-profile tyres, so most potholes are barely noticeable.

David Mason
Witney, Oxfordshire
 

Prefix provenance

SIR – When and why did second-hand clothes and books become “pre-loved” (Letters, October 16)?

Anthony Gibbs
Wilmslow, Cheshire

SIR – Don’t forget to pre-heat the oven.

Nick Jones
Cardiff

SIR – Who wants a haven that is not safe?

Dennis Jordan
Linslade, Bedfordshire
 

Labour’s housing plan

SIR – I write as a town planner with 50 years’ experience. Sir Keir Starmer says he will take decision-making away from local councils to encourage housebuilding (report, October 14). That will involve a total revamp of local government, which will take years. 

He could ask the Planning Inspectorate to make decisions based on national rather than local policies. That might help with small-scale permissions, but won’t achieve anything major. To have an immediate effect, he should promise to neuter Natural England, whose opposition to housebuilding is denying homes to thousands of people. When we left the EU we effectively retained its environmental legislation. This is obstructing new developments. 

Water authorities are polluting rivers and lakes. Natural England, whose duty it is to protect these, has failed – yet it is normal people who are punished by being denied homes. 

As a lawyer, Sir Keir is well placed to make another overdue change: he should address judicial reviews of planning permission – one of the most effective ways well-heeled objectors have of stopping development. By the time reviews have slowly made their way through the courts, the rationale and financing for a development may have changed and the scheme gets abandoned at great expense.

Robert Britnell
Canterbury, Kent
 

Snippets of Latin

SIR – I agree that the place to learn Latin is at school (Comment, October 16). Unfortunately, at my grammar school it was so badly taught that most of us failed the O-level and then only snippets remained in one’s memory.

Dr Alan Grundy
Surbiton, Surrey
 

A miraculous solo

SIR – How many readers have heard Ollie Halsall’s guitar solo (Letters, October 16) on See You at the Dance Tonight, or Eric Clapton’s effort with Blind Faith in Do What You Like? 

Perfection is to be found in Jeff Beck’s short contribution to Jon Bon Jovi’s Miracle. 

Brian Reece
London EC4

SIR – Any discussion of great guitar solos must include the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia. Almost 30 years after his death, his musicality and skill still draw admiration from guitarists. 

Doug Prentice
Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex
 

Hot potato: how to achieve roasting perfection

SIR – I have just one addition to the Peterborough column’s recipe for roast potatoes (October 14): a vigorous shake of the cooling, boiled potatoes to encourage the development of crispy edges during the roasting phase.

David Hemingway
Leicester

SIR – For perfect roast potatoes I recommend tossing the part-boiled potatoes in flour before putting them in the oven. Optionally, add some cumin powder to give an extra depth to the flavour.

Trevor Leavesley
South Milford, North Yorkshire
 

The Church’s damaging fixation on net zero

SIR – Nigel Lewis’s letter (October 16) highlights the problems arising from the Church of England’s net zero policy. Sadly, the situation is a lot worse than he suggests. 

The General Synod passed a motion in York that commits the Church to spending £190 million on net zero over the next 10 years, with a strong recommendation to add £30 million to that figure. To put this sum into context, it would provide 10 new vicars for the next decade for every diocese in the country. 

As Mr Lewis points out, this money will be spent on heat pumps, insulation, new radiators and triple glazing in churches and schools – none of which will make a scrap of difference to our carbon footprint, since the heating will still be powered by electricity. 

The Diocese of Leicester is currently implementing a scheme that will reduce the number of available vicars from 120 to 80 for the foreseeable future. Mr Lewis needs to ask the question: “What is the point of spending £1.5 million on my church to satisfy net zero zealots, when there will be no vicars or congregation to fill it?”

Professor R G Faulkner
Loughborough, Leicestershire

SIR – It would be ridiculous even to think of insulating most church roofs (I doubt it could be done successfully, especially as the structure would probably be listed). 

Far better to insulate church-goers with gloves, woolly hats and thermal underwear. A pile of blankets on each pew might be considered. Hey presto – net zero achieved. 

Simon Olley 
Kemsing, Kent

SIR – Our heat pump (Letters, October 15) is wonderful. It has its own little pump room and purrs along happily all year round. The room is big enough to serve as a large airing cupboard, so is dual purpose. It houses coats and shoes. It is my favourite room in the house.

It also means that we don’t waste money on an expensive tumble dryer.

Jacqueline Davies
Faversham, Kent
 

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