Letters: Thursday, March 30, 2017

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Say no to this hate

I WANTED to address some of the most ridiculous allegations Peter Smith’s Israel bashing letter makes about the only democracy in the region.

A country which is made up of more than nine million citizens of which almost two million are Arabs.

Palestinian Arabs serve in the Israel army, sit on the supreme court, are doctors, lawyers and businessmen.

They are represented in the Knesset with the third largest party and last year more than 250,000 Arabs took cases to the Israel supreme court and many won.

If you travel by public transport, you will see on buses and trains, an Arab sitting next to a Jew who is sitting next to a Christian and who are all sitting next to religious Arabs and Jews and men with women, unlike the Arab and Islamic countries. In Israel no one baits an eyelid.

In the Palestinian Authority areas of the West Bank, you will not find a Jew nor an Israeli Arab. Why? Because the “moderate” Palestinian leadership under Mahmoud Abbas forbid them from living, working or entering into the autonomous territory which Israel gave them. And Mr Smith calls Israel a “racist colonial settler state”.

Jewish people have been in the land for almost 4,000 years although many nations, including the Babylonian, Persian, Assyrian and Greek empires, did once occupy Israel.

The Romans named the province Palestinia after the Philistines who lived in the Gaza area. But it was never an independent nation.

None of these empires ever sought to annex what became Palestine. The Turks were there for more than 500 years before the British kicked them out during the First World War and occupied the land themselves. But it was always known as the Holy Land. Europeans throughout the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s constantly harassed Jews shouting “Why don’t you go to Palestine where you belong.” I know because they shouted those words to my family members.

The British referred to the Jews as Palestinians whilst the Arabs were called Palestinian Arabs. I know because I asked serving British officers in mandate Palestine during that time.

After the UN partition plan of 1947 which the Arabs rejected, the land was divided into Jewish Palestine and Arab Palestine. It was only after that the Jewish Agency requested the change to Israel.

Do we not teach our kids history any longer? Perhaps we believe there is no future in it? There is, because you will never solve a problem without tackling the root of the problem.

Before 1948 there was a Palestine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Palestine Electric Company and the Bank of Palestine. They were all Jewish-owned and after 1948 became the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Electric Company and the Bank of Israel. The Palestinian Post became the Jerusalem Post.

The Palestinian Arabs rejected their first-ever independent state in 1947, in 2000, 2005 and again in 2007. Why?

Because even the PLO will never set up their first-ever state next to Israel because it goes against their charter of complete destruction.

I would suggest Mr Smith and others have no intention of telling the truth because it goes against their objective of delegitimising Israel and demonising Israel.

I believe in peace and co-existence and can introduce you to thousands of Palestinian Arabs who believe in the same thing. But there are some in Swindon who wish to spread hate, fear and radicalisation.

Say no to the hate and yes to peace and co-existence.

JAMES J MARLOW News Editor at The Jewish Weekly

Keep writing Mr Smith

THE editorial page interests me because I get to read letters of Mr Peter Smith who has abundance of knowledge.

For example, his knowledge of history, economics, politics and imperialism is invaluable.

He knows the tactics of the power elites who do not want to share the wealth with those who have created it on their backbones.

Thus, he knows the danger of austerity. He knows the brutal and inhumane of the longest military occupation in Palestine. He knows humanity does not know borders, nationality or race.

He thinks of the Palestinian people, whom he might never meet because he knows the truth about their harsh conditions.

He defines the quotation of Malcolm X: “I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”

You ought to keep on writing, Mr Smith. And I thank you for it.

AXMED BAHJAD Ermin Street, Swindon

There is cash for NHS

I WELCOME Malcolm Morrison’s letter on the NHS in which he highlights areas of agreement between us.

Two key points in this respect are the exploitation and poor pay of its workers, whose dedication continues to keep it going and its long history of underfunding.

I do think though that some disagreement remains and is important. In my view Malcolm concedes too much to the argument that it isn’t possible to fund the NHS out of taxation and that therefore even more payments should be considered to fill the shortfall.

I believe this would be a Trojan horse which would institutionalise inequalities in health care.

Britain is the fifth richest country. There is plenty of wealth, controlled currently by a very rich minority, to fund a health service free at the point of delivery.

This is even before we consider the way the NHS is bled through pharmaceutical and other corporations pricing policies and PFI contracts. The idea (I’m not suggesting Malcolm proposed it) that perfectly fit people flock to health care is used to frighten people into accepting rationing and should be dismissed as propaganda.

Finally, I am not against Malcolm’s suggestion of democratic committees of people who are users of and/or work in the health service, making decisions about it, but I do not believe this gets away from the pressing need for people who value the NHS to get involved in militant campaigns in its defence.

PETER SMITH Woodside Avenue, Swindon

Living in wonderland

DOES Swindon Borough Council live on Alice In Wonderland world, where everything sensible is turned on its head?

Their latest brilliant plan is to take away all the controlled pedestrian crossings in Old Town, just so that a bus lane can be installed which will save the buses from Wichelstowe five minutes journey time into town. Which car driver begrudges a 10-second wait when the lights turn red? And sometimes you are that pedestrian yourself.

The open crossings at Regent Circus are still fraught with anxiety, whether you are a walker or a driver.

Also, following the tragic death of the young mother at the crossroads by the Kingsdown pub, there is a great outcry for more pedestrian crossings.

Come on you councillors, it’s not rocket science. Two and two still make four. Ditch all your mad schemes. Both add and not subtract more CROSSINGS!

VAL HEMMENS Common Platt, Swindon

Two minutes too late

ON WEDNESDAY, March 15 I had to visit my surgery for a prescription, for which you have to see a doctor.

My appointment was at 4.10pm. I waited for a bus at Fleming Way at 3.30pm but it turned up at 3.45pm and I arrived at my surgery at 4.12pm, two minutes late.

I booked in and the receptionist said: ‘You were late, so he won’t see you.’ I apologised but she said: ‘He won’t see you’. As each person is due eight to ten minutes for a consultation I was still “owed” about six minutes, but no, he wouldn’t see me.

I waited until 5pm hoping he would see me later but he finished at 5pm.

While I was sitting there, my usual doctor walked by and bless her she gave me a prescription she knew I urgently needed.

I hope when that doctor got home late due to the traffic he found a note saying “you were late, your dinner is in the dog.”

L SPENCER Thames Avenue Swindon

Three-month wait

RE: LONG wait for GP.

You are not the only one, Albie Lane.

My daughter phoned Merchiston Surgery on Thursday, March 23 to make an appointment for me.

I’ve got one for June 9.

I’m hoping I will make it as I’m 89 years old.

I have been a patient with this surgery since I was 17 years old.

How right you are Albie, our country is much too overcrowded.

GWEN MORGAN Upper Stratton, Swindon

Brexit understanding

WHAT a total shambles Monday’s Question Time turned out to be. David Davis and the two ladies on the panel were the only ones who came out of this whole waste of time with any credibility.

As for the Remainers, or at least that is what they appeared to be, they were at a total loss as how to answer the questions put by the audience.

The audience at least seemed to understand what was happening with regard to Brexit and Article 50. Which was certainly more than Nick Clegg, the representative of the SNP and the Labour party member.

The audience asked quite a few pertinent questions of the panel. The two ladies on the panel answered all questions positively and in detail. the answers from the males on the panel, with the exception of David Davis, were to say the very least pathetic.

The audience, from the applause to certain questions was, I imagine, 75 per cent Brexiteers but they appeared to understand what was happening in greater detail than the Lib Dem, Labour and SNP representatives.

We had a referendum and the Brexiteers took the day. Let’s live with it. If there was another one I am sure it would be an even greater majority.

DAVID COLLINS Blake Crescent, Swindon