Israel entitled to keep fighting to destroy Hamas threat

Two excellent articles in The Weekend Australian by Gemma Tognini (“A generation lost in hatred and historical illiteracy”, 28-29/10) and Gerard Henderson (Campus cowards, bullies of left drive anti-Israel activism”, 28-29/10) explain why Israel is fighting for its existence following the terrorist attacks by Hamas. The current incursion goes right back to Israel’s origin, when it was given land occupied by Palestinians who then were driven out to fend for themselves. It would appear the only recourse would be for the surrounding Arab nations to be able to apply pressure on Hamas and Hezbollah to cease bombing and accept the fact that Israel is there to stay, whether they like it or not.

Bill Horn, Blairgowrie, Vic

Gemma Tognini’s insightful piece in The Weekend Australian, and a similar piece earlier in the week by Salvatore Babones (“No safe space on campus for supportive Israel”, 25/10), are essential reading for present and future educators in Australia and beyond. As Tognini states, these attitudes have been gradually simmering with very little notice, but events of the last three weeks have made them suddenly come to the fore.

Ruth Franklin, St Ives, NSW

The UN General Assembly’s call for Israel to cease fire and let Hamas’s appalling barbarity stand unchecked is reminiscent of the world forcing Czechoslovakia to capitulate to Nazi Germany. Hamas, Hezbollah and puppet master Iran are jihadi warmongers who must be stopped now, not later.

Daniel Bloch, Caulfield South, Vic

Thank you, Rabbi James Kennard, for the splendid article in The Weekend Australian (“The four circles that allow evil to flourish”, 27-28/10). I too have wonder how the Holocaust could have happened, and now I feel as though you can see some of the early aspects present in today’s society, with the Jewish people beset by evil forces. Fortunately, this time they are able to defend themselves. All good and decent people need to stand up now, and show their support.

Elizabeth Arnold, Sherwood, Qld

Rodger Shanahan raises the question of what happens after Israel topples Hamas as a political and military force in Gaza. (“Invasion just the first part of battle”, 28-29/10). He’s correct that the “post-incursion phase will be where the conflict is won or lost. And without a coherent post-invasion plan, the military phase will be for nought”.

Israel’s main aims are to guarantee Hamas can’t launch attacks in the future and to re-establish Israel’s deterrent power around the region. If the war ended without destroying the Hamas regime in Gaza, this would be viewed as a success for Hamas. By providing a clearly articulated endgame scenario, Israel will make it much easier for its friends in the world to continue to advocate the Israel case through a military campaign that will undoubtedly be long, brutal and ugly. After Hamas’s terrorism infrastructure and capability are dismantled a key priority will be Gaza’s reconstruction. Apart from the humanitarian aim, an international reconstruction effort, where Australia can play its part, will assist Israel’s relations in the region.

With a population of over two million people, Israel won’t want to reoccupy the Gaza Strip. At the end of the day, the best outcome for Israel’s long-term security and the Palestinian people would be for the Palestinian Authority, along with Gazan technocrats, and support from international partners, to establish a Palestinian administration to reconstruct Gaza. With Hamas out of Gaza, Israel would only have one entity to negotiate a peace settlement. If the new Gaza experiment yields a positive and peaceful outcome, it should gradually restore some blue sky for a two-state option, which is the only long-term solution to the conflict.

Anthony Bergin, senior fellow Strategic Analysis Australia, ACT

The intellectual left supported the creation of Israel in 1947. They now talk of Israel as guilty of genocide. Israel is reviled in many circles. Beneath it all is a hatred of Jews. So often you hear the same anti-Semitic slurs. The list is endless and such sentiments have been around for centuries. Does the only Jewish state in the world promote annihilation of its neighbours? It wants to live in peace with its neighbours but it still keeps a right of self-defence.

Alasdair Cameron, Woodend, Vic