THERE can be few who do not condemn the kidnapping and murder of the three Israeli teenagers and the burning alive of a Palestinian youth.

Both of these horrific incidents and the over-reaction of Israeli “defence” forces have led to another assault on Gaza which so far has cost nearly 200 lives, many of them innocent women and children.

The justification for this brutal assault is that Hamas rockets continue to be fired into Israeli territory, yet rarely cause any deaths and merely dent concrete or fall onto open ground.

There are many who argue that resistance to the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the disregard for UN resolutions, international law and scant compliance with human rights is understandable, as was resistance to Nazi occupation in Western Europe in the early 1940s, when resistance groups received support from the Allies.

The root cause for Palestinian resistance is the illegal occupation, the extension of illegal settlements and the construction of the security wall which separates Palestinians from their crops, schools and relatives.

The daily harassment of Palestinians and numerous check-points are a continuous irritation with unnecessary delays having caused the deaths of seriously ill patients en route to hospitals.

The needless deaths and destruction could have been ended years ago if it were not for the hypocritical complacency of the international community and the ineffectiveness of the United Nations whose resolutions are only selectively enforced.

The cynical use of the UN veto when attempts are made to bring Israel to heel is a disgrace to the nations concerned and have merely given Israel apparent immunity from UN resolutions and International Law.

Apparently David Cameron has telephoned Netanyahu to “...assure him of Britain’s support...” but I have contacted him to say that this support for a lawless and murderous regime does not include mine.

I would urge others who feel the same to do likewise.

GORDON CLACK Witney Road Ducklington

Today’s letters

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