I T seems to me that the Evening Post is hell bent on continuing to support the flawed and one-sided views in regards to the "aid" flotilla.

Long after most news outlets have tempered their onslaught against Israel after realising that in the face of overwhelming evidence, the flotilla incident was not purely an innocent attempt to deliver aid to Gaza, you continue to propagate lies and blood libel against the Jewish nation.

You continue to give voice to extremely uninformed and malicious voices with out giving voice to a balanced argument. I think it is time for you to recognise the other Jewish, Israeli and Christian voices in Bristol who are more informed and support the existence of the only thriving democratic and free country in the whole Middle East.

It is also time for the world to admit that the Israeli government – and most important the Israeli people – long for and desire real peace as opposed to the PA and Hamas who still preach hatred and xenophobia.

Joe,

By email.

YOUR correspondent "Concerned of Downend" showed concern about the "cack-handed actions" by Israel in its attack on the Gaza peace flotilla but this concern was tempered by the claim that Israel's foes have been using the Palestinians as a cover for their actions.

There is no reason to oppose the existence of Israel except that it is built on stolen land. Over 500 Palestinian towns and villages have been wiped off the map to date, and to aid the occupation and destruction there are roughly 1,500 Palestinians including children in jail without proper trial and constantly in danger of being tortured. "It is recognised" that Hamas gets weapons by sea. Recognised by whom? Even little fishing boats are not allowed to take to the water off Gaza.

It's unlikely anyone trying to get aid to Gaza would compromise their efforts by carrying weapons in the unlikely event they could get them in.

Hamas does not want to destroy all Jews. 'All Jews' would include the Israelis who regularly join in the anti-wall, anti-occupation demos with their Palestinian friends, for instance. A non-Muslim, my own experience of Hamas 'on the road' has been positive. And the party has been pro-active in seeking a unity with Fatah despite the US-sponsored war between them after Hamas won the election.

Cliff Hanley,

Southville.

IT is sad that "Concerned of Downend" accuses Bristol City Council of being naive (Evening Post Monday, August 9). And the "look over there" ploy will not distract attention from the growing recognition of Israel's brutality.

The attack by Israeli commandos on the Mavi Marmara resulted in the deaths of nine people and the wounding of some 50 others. This vicious and illegal assault has rightly shocked the world. Cliff Hanley was grazed by a bullet. And Sakir Yildirim comforted a companion who died in his arms. The contents of the flotilla, including over £6,000 worth of cargo donated by Bristol people, has been stolen.

The debate held at the Council House at the end of June, which is archived on the council website, shows local politicians at their very best.

Among many excellent contributions I recall their reference to the horrors of the Bristol Blitz during the Second World War, adding that at least Bristolians were able to rebuild their shattered homes after the war. Something still denied to the citizens of Gaza. They also praised the humanitarian aid and the links being formed between the citizens of Bristol and Gaza.

The motion, carried with all-party support, condemning the attacks plus calling for boycott, sanctions, and divestment has set an example. This also fits in with Bristol's aims as a Fairtrade City. If anyone can fault this principled stand, it would be interesting to hear why.

Ed Hill,

Bristol.

ON July 20, outside the O2 Academy, it was a case of Never Mind the Politics, Here's the Stilt Walkers.

It is preposterous for Ed Hill to claim that any musician, by playing in Tel Aviv, is passively supporting the "fascist regime" of Israel, while he and his fellow protesters are actively supporting the anti-semitic jihadists of Hamas.

In the unfortunate event that Bristol gets its own "democratically elected", anti-semitic BNP Parliamentarians, will Neil Maggs (Respect/Bristol Gaza link) and Dr Judith Brown be cheering them on?

The activists' continued refusal to comment on the Hamas Charter shows that they are unwilling to admit that Hamas, described by author Mosab Hassan Yousef as a "stupid, cruel, self-serving terrorist group", is not interested in disputed territory but is primarily concerned with wiping Jews off the face of the earth.

Ed Hill has had three letters published in the space of seven days, yet Matt Kingston is convinced that the Evening Post has given in to the "Israeli propaganda machine".

What better way is there for Holocaust-denying dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to deflect attention away from the killing of Iranian opposition party supporters, or the stoning to death of alleged adulterers than to tender an altruistic offer of help to the desperate people of Gaza.

I would suggest to Dr Judith Brown that oil-rich Arab regimes and individuals do have the luxury of choosing whether to point their vast wealth in the direction of their brothers and sisters in Gaza or, for example, overseas in the direction of an English Premier League club.

As for Cliff Hanley, who claims that lawfully-constituted Israel is "not a true country", how does he view Pakistan which was created when India gained independence in 1947? Following the partitioning, millions fled as refugees and half a million people were killed. Could we say that Pakistan is "not a true country"?

Would we regard Kashmir as "disputed territory"? Should we start protesting? What about other conflicts around the world? I refuse to regard these people as "peace" campaigners. They are political activists and it is beyond me why the press gives them such an easy ride.

Name supplied.

ON reading the letters on "the Israel-Palestine situation" Evening Post, July 29, "Rotten Protests", July 30 and Aug 6, "Israel Shootings" August 4 and "Council was naive" August 9, I thought perhaps a brief history might be of interest.

Jewish people have lived continually in the land of Israel for more 3,000 years, long before Christianity was founded 2,000 years ago and long before Islam began.

The land of Israel was never an Arab country and there was no such country as Arab Palestine.

Palestine was the name first given to the land of Israel by the Romans in AD135, the name was derived from the word Philistine.

Until 1922, after the collapse of the Ottoman empire, Palestine was part of a huge area under British control bordering Syria, Persia (now Iran), Saudi Arabia and Egypt and the Mediterranean coastline.

In 1923, the British separated Palestine east of the River Jordan to create Transjordan (now Jordan).

The British put it under the leadership of Abdullah, an Arab from the Hejaz (now part of Saudi Arabia) who was installed as Emir of the country. Thus the Hashemite Kingdom was formed.

Arabs weren't expelled from Israel when it was founded in 1948, but those who chose to leave were offered no hospitality by Arab Jordan. Those who elected to stay and accept Israeli citizenship prospered.

Half the Arabs in the Holy Land in 1948 were recent immigrants attracted by the economic boom caused by the Zionist settlers.

The term Palestinian wasn't used of the Arabs until Yasser Arafat began to use it in the late sixties. Before that the Middle East conflict was always referred to as the Arab/Israeli conflict.

The Jewish people have lived in the Holy Land for centuries, the Arabs for decades.

Bob Evans,

Brislington.

Correspondence on this subject is now closed