Sir, – I refer to your correspondents' observations in relation to anti-Semitism and racism (Letters, December 21st). Ciarán Tierney implies that views expressed in Sue Pentel and Jacob Woolf's opinion piece are representative of those held by other Jews in Ireland ("Anti-Semitism must not be elevated over other racism", Opinion & Analysis, December 16th). However, living on the fringes of their local Jewish communities, neither of them played a role in recent communal discussions concerning the worrying rise in anti-Semitism at all levels of society throughout the country. Put simply, their views on anti-Semitism do not reflect my position nor that of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland.
David Murphy is naive in believing “Omar Barghouti’s advocacy for a single state” is anything but a call for the destruction of Israel as the world’s only Jewish state.
When the State of Israel was established in 1948, one of its leader’s objectives was “to promote the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants” (Israel’s declaration of independence). However, none of the surrounding nations were prepared to accept the presence of a Jewish state in their neighbourhood and set out to destroy the fledgling state. Sadly, with few exceptions, little has changed over the past 73 years, and this leaves no reason to believe the current Palestinian government would be prepared to live “side by side” with Israel “in peace and harmony”.
Finally, in her criticism of my observations, Sue Pentel refers to the State of Israel as being “exclusively Jewish”.
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Perhaps she is unaware that some 20 per cent of its population is Arab – Christian and Muslim – and that Israel’s current government includes members of the United Arab List, including Mansour Abbas, chair of the Islamist Ra’am party, who holds a deputy ministerial position in the cabinet? – Yours, etc,
DAVID M
ABRAHAMSON,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – The insightful article “Anti-Semitism must not be elevated over other racism” was a much-needed exploration of the content and context of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Anti-Semitism. It is clear that having lost every substantive argument around human rights, international law, annexation and apartheid, Israel’s supporters are now pushing the IHRA definition in a bid to stifle any meaningful discussion around one of the foremost human rights issues of our time.
I must admit to finding deeply ironic Israeli ambassador Lironne Bar Sadeh's analysis (Letters, December 18th), in which she complained that "half of the article deals with the definition while the other half simply argues the BDS case for boycotting Israel".
More than half (seven out of 11) of the IHRA Working Definition’s contentious examples limit how people can speak about Israel. – Yours, etc,
BETTY PURCELL,
Dublin 6W.