LETTER: Brilliant article on Bethlehem

SIR – Congratulations to Archon for his harrowing but brilliant article on present-day life in Bethlehem (December 12th). It is timely to be reminded of the brutal oppression of Palestinian natives of the town where Jesus was born.

The Israeli government and its military machine cannot, however, destroy and ‘plant’ Palestine on their own. To do so, they need the connivance of world leaders who are prepared to ‘look the other way’ while Palestine is slowly but relentlessly crucified.

It is surely time for our own government – and for all of our opposition parties – to stand up and be counted on this most urgent and important issue. It is time for them to support boycott, disinvestment and sanctions against Israel until that State calls an immediate and final halt to its murderous policies.

In the meantime, we are fortunate to have hands-on journalists such as Archon and newspapers such as The Southern Star who are morally committed enough to stand by the oppressed and stout-hearted enough to tell things as they are.

 Charles Hayes,

East Ferry,

Midleton.