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| Contrasting reactions to events in Israel and Syria | Contrasting reactions to events in Israel and Syria |
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| Jonathan Freedland's argument about contrasting reactions to events in Israel and Syria is significantly flawed (Comment, 20 October). First, there has been huge outrage over the Assad regime's brutality, including weekly protests outside the Syrian embassy and others in Trafalgar Square. Is there any credible figure in British politics who has not condemned its behaviour? | Jonathan Freedland's argument about contrasting reactions to events in Israel and Syria is significantly flawed (Comment, 20 October). First, there has been huge outrage over the Assad regime's brutality, including weekly protests outside the Syrian embassy and others in Trafalgar Square. Is there any credible figure in British politics who has not condemned its behaviour? |
| Second, the British government has quite rightly unequivocally opposed the Assad regime's crimes and supported 19 rounds of sanctions against regime figures and entities. Though Israel's crimes are not directly comparable, when its forces bomb schools, level villages, use human shields, demolish houses, torture civilians, and steal land there is little more than routine tame verbal criticism and a business as usual approach. Britain cannot even support Palestinian statehood. This rank hypocrisy and double standards rankles with many. | Second, the British government has quite rightly unequivocally opposed the Assad regime's crimes and supported 19 rounds of sanctions against regime figures and entities. Though Israel's crimes are not directly comparable, when its forces bomb schools, level villages, use human shields, demolish houses, torture civilians, and steal land there is little more than routine tame verbal criticism and a business as usual approach. Britain cannot even support Palestinian statehood. This rank hypocrisy and double standards rankles with many. |
| There is little more that we can expect the British government to do on Syria short of engaging in a dangerous war, while the Assad regime hardly cares what British protesters think, any more than it cares about peaceful Syrian demonstrators. In contrast, there is much our government could do tangibly to demonstrate that it takes Israel's consistent violations of law and Palestinian human rights seriously, not least a full arms embargo. | There is little more that we can expect the British government to do on Syria short of engaging in a dangerous war, while the Assad regime hardly cares what British protesters think, any more than it cares about peaceful Syrian demonstrators. In contrast, there is much our government could do tangibly to demonstrate that it takes Israel's consistent violations of law and Palestinian human rights seriously, not least a full arms embargo. |
| In both cases there has been plenty of prominent media coverage, not least in the Guardian. Those suffering in other conflicts such as Congo would love even a fraction of the attention. Chris Doyle Council for Arab-British Understanding | In both cases there has been plenty of prominent media coverage, not least in the Guardian. Those suffering in other conflicts such as Congo would love even a fraction of the attention. Chris Doyle Council for Arab-British Understanding |
| • Jonathan Freedland makes the usual plea "why condemn Israel?". Israel claims to be a western-style democracy that respects human rights and international law. The US and the EU, as well as our own country, have social, academic, cultural and trade links with Israel, and many of us have friends or colleagues in Israel. To many UK citizens, it is their home too. Israel drove the Palestinians from their homeland and livelihoods in 1948 and for 45 years Israel has occupied the West Bank. The treatment of the Palestinians is brutal and humiliating, as I have witnessed. We are right to condemn Israel for its actions. We are right to demand a higher standard of behaviour from Israel than from Arab states that are only now struggling to achieve political change. I have been to Syria. Does Mr Freedland really want Israel to be judged by the same standards by which we judge Syria? Jenny Tonge House of Lords | • Jonathan Freedland makes the usual plea "why condemn Israel?". Israel claims to be a western-style democracy that respects human rights and international law. The US and the EU, as well as our own country, have social, academic, cultural and trade links with Israel, and many of us have friends or colleagues in Israel. To many UK citizens, it is their home too. Israel drove the Palestinians from their homeland and livelihoods in 1948 and for 45 years Israel has occupied the West Bank. The treatment of the Palestinians is brutal and humiliating, as I have witnessed. We are right to condemn Israel for its actions. We are right to demand a higher standard of behaviour from Israel than from Arab states that are only now struggling to achieve political change. I have been to Syria. Does Mr Freedland really want Israel to be judged by the same standards by which we judge Syria? Jenny Tonge House of Lords |
| • Jonathan Freedland is absolutely right. I'm a UK Jew and a frequent critic of Israel's government for its persecution of Palestinians. Freedland makes no secret of his own concerns about Israel's behaviour towards Palestinians. But the unforgivable behaviour of Syria's Assad and his supporters against their own people is even more damnable and the absence of public protest about it is highly regrettable. Perhaps the form such protest could take simply hasn't occurred to the UK "protester community"? The brush-off Freedland received from Stop the War's Lindsey German comes as a shock. I will certainly raise this with Stop the War next time I receive one of their frequent appeals. Stanley Walinets Barnard Castle, Durham | • Jonathan Freedland is absolutely right. I'm a UK Jew and a frequent critic of Israel's government for its persecution of Palestinians. Freedland makes no secret of his own concerns about Israel's behaviour towards Palestinians. But the unforgivable behaviour of Syria's Assad and his supporters against their own people is even more damnable and the absence of public protest about it is highly regrettable. Perhaps the form such protest could take simply hasn't occurred to the UK "protester community"? The brush-off Freedland received from Stop the War's Lindsey German comes as a shock. I will certainly raise this with Stop the War next time I receive one of their frequent appeals. Stanley Walinets Barnard Castle, Durham |
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