Israel

I fully understand that any democracy has the right to defend itself. My problem with Israel is the way it is currently reacting to the Hamas rocket attacks. It appears to me (and apparently to most of the world) that their response is somewhat disproportionate, to the say the least.

The death and injury toll suffered by Israel pales into insignificance compared with the dead and injured in Gaza - now approaching 1,000 - with children left and ignored by nearby Israeli soldiers to starve amidst the corpses of their parents.

I have no time for Israel so long as they persist in building settlements in illegally occupied territories, and for many years I have tried to avoid purchasing anything made by or originating in Israel. I shall continue my personal boycott for as long as their current policies and practices continue.

Israel's occupation of lands and their vicious military methods are the twin sources of further escalation of terror against them. They themeleves are acting as very efficient recruiting sergeants for any Arab groups dedicated to the destruction of Israel.

Meanwhile, it is also important to recognise that there is also a kind of proxy war going on here between the USA (via Israel) and Iran (via the Palestinians). It was notable that in the latest Security Council Resolution condemning the current action and calling for an immediate ceasefire, America abstained. Israel can do anything it likes so long as the USA is backing them, and the USA always backs them - it appears to be in their DNA.

From a historical and religious point of view the whole Jew v Arab thing is a farcical tragedy considering they are all descendants of Abraham.