9/1/09 (5 Letters); http://www.smh.com.au/letters/index.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
- It’s great to see some common sense come out of the opinion pages in relation to the Arab-Israeli conflict, although this was unfortunately balanced with Vic Alhadeff’s latest digest of unquestioning pro-Israeli spin. Sara Dowse is spot on in identifying the poison of ethnic nationalism as both the root cause of the conflict and the key barrier to resolving it. The conflict can only truly be resolved when, in addition to the rights of Israel’s Jewish inhabitants being recognised and protected, the rights of other residents of Israel and the Palestinian territories are restored and given the same protections. This would include the right for Palestinian refugees who have been living in exile for more than 60 years to return to their homes. Alex Mustafa, Braddon (ACT)
- I applaud Sara Dowse for being able and willing to publicly put being a human above being a Jew. Gordon Drennan, Burton (SA)
- My thanks to Sara Dowse for so eloquently putting into words the truth about the Israeli occupation. One only has to read the column by Vic Alhadeff to reinforce this truth. It is a shame that the Australian Government continues to embarrass us internationally by following the Howard line and refusing to condemn the indiscriminate killing of Palestinian civilians. Sam Greene, Biggera Waters (Qld)
- There is much to be said for the opinions of Sara Dowse, one of the 100 Jews who signed a statement protesting Israeli action in Gaza. By sharing her ill-informed and distorted views she highlights the general ignorance and naivety of the entire group. George Fishman, Vaucluse
- While Sara Dowse sits in the comfort of her Melbourne home spewing out the vile propaganda against the very existence of the state of Israel (“Shocking cynicism or a legitimate right to defend one’s homeland?”, January 8), I have relatives and friends who have continually sought the safety of shelters over the past six months against incoming rockets/mortars in Sederot, Gedera and Beersheba fired by Hamas terrorists. Ms Dowse, for your education, it is these people who are on the frontline to protect your right to live as a Jew in peace and quiet in lovely Melbourne. While I am forever grateful that we live in a wonderful country such as Australia that still allows freedom of speech, your article, which was full of historical inaccuracies and untruths, can only be classed as the lowest form of propaganda. Peter Sussman, Sylvania Heights