Biden, not just Netanyahu, must be held accountable

EDITOR – At least 196 humanitarian aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October, alongside nearly 33,000 Gaza residents.

On a recent Monday night, the Israeli military carried out multiple precision missile strikes on a convoy of clearly marked food aid vehicles, killing seven staff members from World Central Kitchen, the non-profit organisation providing meals to people on the frontlines and in crises. Israel’s Defence Forces were told in advance about the aid convoy and its
route.

A pro-Palestinian protester holds a placard accusing Biden, Netanyahu and Sunak of war crimes, at a demonstration against Israeli attacks on Gaza in central London. (Photo: Shutterstock)

A military expert told CNN that ‘the drone that fired the fatal missiles would have been operated in conjunction with a surveillance drone meaning the Israeli military would have had total visibility of the cars, including the WCK logo.’

These attacks have not only resulted in senseless deaths, but they’ve impacted World Central Kitchen’s crucial work.

Gaza has 2.2m people who do not have enough to eat, and half of those are facing starvation conditions. It’s the ‘highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded ... anywhere, anytime’ according to the UN.

These attacks must stop.

The Israeli military’s indiscriminate assaults against civilian families, medical personnel, aid workers, and the constant bombardment of medical facilities, humanitarian pathways, and civilian infrastructure has made it nearly impossible to get food and other desperately needed supplies into Gaza.

American president Biden has said that he is ‘outraged and heartbroken’ by the attacks, noting that the deaths were not a ‘standalone incident’ and that the ‘conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory in terms of how many aid workers and civilians have been killed.’

He alone has the power to stop this mass genocide taking place before our horrified eyes.

Netanyahu and Biden must be held accountable for these heinous crimes against humanity.

Daniel Teegan,
Union Hall.

Sad society that allows desecration of graves

EDITOR – As we have recently celebrated the concept of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ie a holy period in the Christian calendar; unfortunately, not all of us have experienced this very important significant commemoration.

While visiting my late father’s grave during this Easter at St Patrick’s Church Cemetery in Bandon, I discovered that items from his grave were missing and damaged. Among the items interfered with was a holy water vessel (in the image of Our Lady), which had been drained out and thrown in the corner of my late father’s grave like an auld empty stout bottle or can of beer that had no further use. I often visit my late father’s grave at this cemetery and despite clear notices on view ‘no dogs allowed’, people openly ignore these signs and allow their dogs to excrete and urinate on the graves of the dead.

If this is what we accept as celebrating life, death and potentially resurrection, then we are a very sad and screwed-up society.

Ger Tobin,
Ballincollig.

Green tail is wagging the dog in our government

EDITOR – This country has a transport minister who does not believe in roads. Cork County Council, and all county councils have had their budgets.

A Council official has said that at the present rate of resurfacing roads, it will take 50 years until any road is resurfaced again. While 97% of rural journeys are done by car, truck, or bus, 10% of the roads budget is being spent on walkways and cycleways. Minister Ryan is unashamedly pushing his own green agenda and spending taxpayers’ money in the process. Opinion polls have the Green Party at 4% of the electorate. This is clearly a case of the tail wagging the dog.

Michael Hallissey,
Mayfield,
Bandon. 

Our RNLI heroes should really get more funding

EDITOR – The latest operation for the RNLI which saw a little girl saved from the freezing sea during Storm Kathleen is now commonplace for our heroes of the sea who keep an eye out for those in trouble 24/7.

A lifeboat was sent out within minutes after receiving an emergency call and the RNLI acted swiftly to save the little girl. The charity’s volunteers provide a great service across 46 stations nationwide and it should be government-funded to maintain this service.

Cold water shock can cause your heart and blood pressure to increase very rapidly which can lead to cardiac arrest so people should take heed of the RNLI’s advice –  float to stay alive.

Noel Harrington,
Kinsale.

Prayer might be our only hope now with weather

EDITOR – Diarmuid Cohalan’s well-researched letter and article on climate change and the nuclear risk is so relevant to the present times.

Our farmers are at their wits’ ends trying to plant and sow seeds for the harvest in impossible wet conditions after a long, wet winter.

The risk of food shortages is real if the present weather continues for much longer. Combine that with the nuclear risk – which is now a stark reality – and the future looks bleak.

With uncompromising leaders like Russian president Vladimir Putin and the prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, the world is moving nearer to an all-out nuclear war every day. God forbid it if it happens, a good portion of humanity could be wiped out.

Like St Peter in the Gospel when he said ‘to whom do we turn to’? We are all helpless in the present situation but we can petition God for world peace and for normal weather.

Jeremiah McCarthy,
Clonakilty.