Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT
What hope do we have of coming to some peaceful solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict when we see the war of words appear daily in the letters column? Each writer presents their own agenda, many of which are attacking the other for opinions or prejudice. The power of the pen is mighty and words are powerful and can sometimes lead to greater conflict. If we cannot work towards peace, understanding and acceptance on paper, what hope is there for the countries involved in fighting such a devastating war?
Julie Ottobre, Brunswick East
Raised voices foster a belief in humanity
As the masters of war accelerate their push for massive death and destruction, and as we march towards a huge conflagration in the Middle East, possibly a nuclear war, we are told that Australians are “tiring” of protests (“Protests rejected as war ignites row”, 7/10). Yet for others, these protests are the only source of comfort in these ghastly times. That so many people continue to raise their voices in the streets, in their workplaces, and elsewhere all calling for peace and justice – this is the reason I can maintain my belief in humanity.
Andrea Bunting, Brunswick
While it is safe
Your correspondent’s letter (“As Albanese, Wong speak, l feel less secure as a Jew”, Letters, 7/10) reminded me of a comment made by an Australian-born Jewish woman that I worked with about 50 years ago. I remember her comment because I was a callow youth and what she said at the time seemed somewhat odd to me. She remarked that she and her family would live in Australia “while it is safe”. I do not now regard her comment as odd. Antisemitism has been common for centuries in Europe and in the Middle East and now sadly it is becoming prevalent in Australia.
Dennis Walker, North Melbourne
Torn by conflict
David Leser’s heartfelt reflection (“I’m terrified and torn on this horrific anniversary, and by what’s to come”, 7/10) is the most insightful and nuanced I’ve read yet on the tragic Middle East crisis. I, too, “am torn in multiple directions”, as Leser articulates empathy for a range of innocent, vulnerable victims. Leser quotes a rabbi saying “there’s no heat hotter than the ovens of Auschwitz”, then poignantly applies it to “the victim-vanquisher psychology that has governed Israeli policy towards Palestinians for generations”. Leser laments that his own people “the Jewish people, the ultimate victims of history ... have become the oppressors of a broken people”. Leser unburdens his soul as he acknowledges none of us have a solution to this “most intractable and deadly conflict”.
Kevin Burke, Sandringham
Same old blockages
David Leser and Amin Saikal (“Iran put ball in Netanyahu’s court, we await the response”, 7/10) both talk of the need for ceasefires and diplomatic solutions to resolve the current conflicts involving Israel (Comment). But neither mention, let alone explain why such measures have repeatedly failed in the past. The reality is that Israel has every right to be sceptical about such initiatives, given that, for example, Hezbollah was allowed to flout its obligations at the end of the last Lebanon war to withdraw from Israel’s border, and disarm. Alas, it is delusional to believe that an enduring peace in that region is achievable as long as Israel has neighbours that are sworn to its destruction.
Geoff Feren, St Kilda East
Lack of leadership
We hear the words “completely unacceptable” yet again. Deaths and injury in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon are all unacceptable. Communities are turned to rubble, children killed or orphaned, and we are now reduced to an argument about good over evil. What’s evil is the violence and hatred, the inability to use diplomacy instead of war and the embroilment of half the world in a decades-old dispute about land and possession that chews up lives and decency.
Alison Fraser, Ascot Vale
THE FORUM
Tolerant values
Tony Abbott threatened to “shirtfront” Putin. And now Peter Dutton wants to remove the Iranian ambassador. In a world where war and conflict are raging, do we need another politician with such an aggressive attitude? Does Dutton understand that we are a democracy and not a totalitarian regime that supports political intolerance?
Anthony Albanese is showing the maturity of a statesman and understands that peaceful protest is the right of every Australian regardless of their ethnicity. It is not weak to support such an ideology. It remains a basic tenet that this country was founded on.
Andrew Dowling, Torquay
Aggressive leaders
Jacqueline Maley suggests Peter Dutton is “too aggro” for The Lodge (“He calls Albanese weak but is Dutton just too aggro for The Lodge?” 6/10). With all due respect, a number of past prime ministers have had aggressive personalities. Bob Hawke unleashed on a pensioner in 1989 with the insult “silly old bugger”, then won the 1990 election. Paul Keating in 1992 mocked the then leader of the opposition John Hewson by saying “I want to do you slowly” at the 1993 election. Keating won it. Tony Abbott was reported in 2000 as moving “in a threatening manner” towards the opposition benches during parliamentary debate – a decade later he was PM. History suggests that if Dutton is objectively aggro, it is no barrier to becoming PM.
Alun Breward, Malvern East
Historical connections
I’m weary of the pronouncements from some that Jews only settled in Israel after World War II. I have had people declare this to my face. So, I tell them this. My great-aunt Celia (Pearlman) Leon, who has since died, served as an army nurse during World War II in the Middle East and often visited Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. From Jerusalem she sent her Jewish family back home in St Kilda photos of Jews, including Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews. From Tel Aviv, she sent photos of buildings adorned with the Star of David and stories about eating at Jewish restaurants. She even bought a tallis, a prayer shawl, and sent it 14,000 kilometres from Tel Aviv to her nephew who would be making his bar mitzvah at the St Kilda Synagogue. Another great-aunt Faye (Pearlman) Green, who has also since died, kept diaries during the war and tells the story of Mrs Konig, who was staying in St Kilda, but hoped to return home to the British Mandate of Palestine. She had escaped Arab violence. I wish people would read history books before making uninformed statements.
Erica Cervini, Prahran
A different day
The pro-Palestinian demonstrations here in Australia the day before October 7 are unfortunate, insensitive, unwise and deeply regrettable. I agree. But I could not help but notice that those loudest in their objections keep saying, “Why don’t they choose another day?” One can’t wonder why those same people can’t understand why Australia’s Indigenous community has loudly opposed celebrating Australia Day on January 26. To them it is insensitive and unnecessary to choose “Invasion Day” as a day for us to salute our nation.
Tim Mahar, Fitzroy North
Travel advice
If anyone wonders why Australian passports are the most expensive in the world, consider the latest repatriation project funded by the Australian government. Flights from Beirut to Cyprus, then chartered flights to Sydney for people who were told months ago not to travel to Lebanon and weeks ago to leave immediately. Even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last month that the decision many had recently made to travel from Australia to Lebanon defied “common sense”. It seems acceptable to ignore Australian government advice but then expect the government to save you from the very situation you were repeatedly warned about.
Geoffrey Conaghan, St Kilda
Local government
Following your recent articles on the coming local council elections it’s worth raising an important discussion point. Why do we need local councils? Nowadays councils are little more than “area-based” state government departments. They are at the mercy of whichever flavour state government is in power and they have massive control over them – be it rate capping, how councils are structured, amalgamated or administrators appointed. State governments run roughshod over council planning decisions and dump unfunded tasks on councils – the introduction of organic waste bins and pool fencing legislation administration to mention just two.
Ratepayers and residents should have the right to vote to have qualified professional administrators to run these multimillion-dollar quasi state government departments instead of unknowns or political wannabes.
Stephen Mead, Rowville
Right to engage
This state government’s determination to “crash through” the existing local government planning process is arrogance. The Age front-page story “Developers deal could waive build height limits” (7/10) reveals the extent of the state government’s determination to prevent communities from having input into future development. The government’s Engage Victoria website states “... public engagement enables the government to make decisions that take into consideration the rights, needs, preferences and values of the public”: these are nothing more than weasel words.
Sally Davis, Malvern East
The best incentives
We know enough now to plan and predict good living conditions for all our populations. So why are we “doing deals” with developers? There should be clear ground rules and ratios for housing to open space, transport, essential services etc and developers should be held to account so they would not dare embark on a new project unless the conditions are met. Loopholes will be exploited. Communities should be educated to understand the need for growth, and will accept change if there is confidence that development is based on sound principles, not a quick buck.
Geraldine Colson, Mentone
Dumping dangers
With their focus on ambition rather than community needs, political party leadership challenges are mostly disdained by the public and signal internal fracture (“Pesutto could face leadership challenge as early as next week, Liberals say”, 7/10). The Coalition returned suboptimal numbers at the 2022 state election when it had its strongest opportunity for the community to retaliate against the Andrews Labor government on its substantial COVID-19 lockdowns, curfews and pandemic measures, which caused significant community hardship over an extended duration.
Yet Labor was returned in a landslide.
As Liberal leader, John Pesutto has made significant inroads in public approval through his consistently measured consideration of policy and issues. Annika Smethurst’s article highlights that under Pesutto’s leadership, the latest Resolve Political Monitor for The Age puts support for the Coalition at 37 per cent – 10 points ahead of Labor with Pesutto only one point below Jacinta Allan as preferred premier. Leadership aspirants would be wise to recall that dumping a leader is a double-edged sword.
Liz Burton, Camberwell
Swooping saviours
Magpies are indeed intelligent and friendly birds (Letters, 7/10). We have a few that nest in our trees. We’re on good terms with them and have never been swooped. Quite the opposite. Once in a paddock across the road I was swooped by a spur-winged plover (aka masked lapwing) – a terrifying dive-bomber with hooks on its wings. It repeatedly flew up about 50 metres then came hurtling down at me. Our magpies noticed what was happening and three of them flew over, engaged the lapwing and chased it back to its nest.
John Laurie, Riddells Creek
Protect yourself
I offer readers a sure-fire way to deal with magpie swooping (“Melbourne’s magpie hotspots”, 5/10). Raise your arm in the air. Magpies avoid vertical things like an arm or a stick held high. I’ve done this successfully many times.
Debbie Lustig, Elsternwick
A wonderful series
Praise to ABC TV for the wonderful series The Assembly. Journalist Leigh Sales allowed the young participants on the autism spectrum to bring out the wonderful insights each one possessed – my tears flowed. Journalism will not be an easy career to traverse ... but I am sure their wonderful feelings for humanity will see them succeed and I look forward to their successful careers.
Lois Daley, Port Melbourne
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Matt Golding
Liberal leadership
Recently, Sam Groth, the member for Nepean and shadow minister for tourism, sport and events was touted as a possible future leader. Perhaps his time has come.
Anne Kruger, Rye
Sam Groth has been an MLA for just over two years and has been relatively low-key during that time. He is now being touted as potentially the next leader of the Liberal Party. Have I missed something here?
Mark Hulls, Sandringham
Middle East
Organisers have said that the overreaction from politicians about the pro-Palestinian rallies held in major cities yesterday served to increase the turnout. Finally something positive that Peter Dutton has achieved this year.
Ken Richards, Elwood
David Leser, how well you articulated the conflict that so many of us feel within on the anniversary of the terrible events on October 7. Sanity must eventually prevail with a negotiated peace. But when and how many more will suffer?
John Collins, Malvern
Furthermore
The trick with daylight saving is to move the clocks forward early Saturday night and then go to bed at the normal time. Result: no sleep lost. Wake refreshed. Simple!
Alex Risk, Geelong West
I thank God for His/Her part in protecting Donald Trump from assassins. Perhaps the deity could assist Trump in coming up with better gun safety laws, to protect ordinary American citizens better.
John Hughes, Mentone
I can’t understand why anyone would prefer rugby over Aussie rules footy. Equally, I can’t see any point in whacking a little white ball around a highly manicured paddock trying to get it into a hole that’s way too small.
John Bye, Elwood
Finally
If I hadn’t been an Age reader, I would never have realised so many people converse with magpies.
David Cayzer, Clifton Hill
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To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.