Dear Editor,
The recent statement attributed to the Jamaican Government on the current Israeli-Hamas conflict was very disappointing. To describe Israel's action in Gaza as "disproportionate and indiscriminate" shows that our Government did not engage in the required analysis before commenting. It is evident that Hamas provoked this conflict by firing hundreds of rockets into Israel. Does the Jamaican Government think that Israel has no right to defend itself against the terrorist action of Hamas? Should Israel sit by and allow its citizens to be killed by rockets being sent from Gaza?
Israel's warning system of impending air raids is admired, even by its critics. Israel routinely drops leaflets, makes phone calls and releases "noise bombs" in an effort to get civilians to leave particular locations. Is the Jamaican Government aware that Hamas has its bases in schools, mosques, international agencies, and routinely uses women and children as human shields? Rockets have been found in schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza. Hamas deliberately put its civilians in danger in the hope of turning world opinion against Israel. Former president of the USA, Bill Clinton is aware of this strategy and he recently stated: "They (Hamas) have a strategy designed to force Israel to kill their own civilians so that the rest of the world will condemn them." This ploy has seemingly worked in some countries, as embarrassingly, the Jamaican Government has fallen for it.
We expect a greater effort at analysing international affairs before comments are made in the name of the Jamaican people. It cannot be right for the Administration to be seemingly condemning Israel for defending its people while unwittingly providing support for the terrorist organisation, Hamas. Israel has been a great friend of Jamaica.
Marsha Thomas
marshburns@hotmail.com
Israel has a right to defend its people
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The recent statement attributed to the Jamaican Government on the current Israeli-Hamas conflict was very disappointing. To describe Israel's action in Gaza as "disproportionate and indiscriminate" shows that our Government did not engage in the required analysis before commenting. It is evident that Hamas provoked this conflict by firing hundreds of rockets into Israel. Does the Jamaican Government think that Israel has no right to defend itself against the terrorist action of Hamas? Should Israel sit by and allow its citizens to be killed by rockets being sent from Gaza?
Israel's warning system of impending air raids is admired, even by its critics. Israel routinely drops leaflets, makes phone calls and releases "noise bombs" in an effort to get civilians to leave particular locations. Is the Jamaican Government aware that Hamas has its bases in schools, mosques, international agencies, and routinely uses women and children as human shields? Rockets have been found in schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza. Hamas deliberately put its civilians in danger in the hope of turning world opinion against Israel. Former president of the USA, Bill Clinton is aware of this strategy and he recently stated: "They (Hamas) have a strategy designed to force Israel to kill their own civilians so that the rest of the world will condemn them." This ploy has seemingly worked in some countries, as embarrassingly, the Jamaican Government has fallen for it.
We expect a greater effort at analysing international affairs before comments are made in the name of the Jamaican people. It cannot be right for the Administration to be seemingly condemning Israel for defending its people while unwittingly providing support for the terrorist organisation, Hamas. Israel has been a great friend of Jamaica.
Marsha Thomas
marshburns@hotmail.com
Israel has a right to defend its people
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