Sir, – I trust that Chris Andrews’s admirable campaign for civil rights covers all facets of life in Gaza (“St Patrick’s Day celebration in Jerusalem”, Letters, March 15th). This of course would include the fight for the democratic rights of approximately half a million people resident there.
It is all very well to decry the Israeli government’s policies and actions in the Occupied Territories, but to ignore a glaring denial to Gazans of basic civil rights by the regime that rules the area with an iron fist, Hamas, is duplicitous, in my opinion.
The Doha agreement between Hamas and Fatah lies impotent with every day that Hamas refuses to not only permit elections in Gaza, but even allow a direct political opposition to reside and operate there.
Let us not read on under the pretence that the singular problem in the region solely operates from the Knesset but also a bit closer to Mr Andrews’s own current doorstep. Here’s hoping the concern for Gazan Palestinians delivers a brand new democratic election as opposed to a seven-year-old result being clung to by the radical militia currently in situ. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM G McILWAINE,
Ballymore Lane,
Galway.