The growing perception within the last 30 years of a so-called “clash of civilisations” should not obscure our indebtedness to the Islamic world. 

It’s been revealed (Amy Goodman, Democracy Now) that a secret CIA “Black Site” prison existed within Guantanamo in which prisoners may have been tortured and subjected to mind altering drugs. 

The almost Soviet-style image of world leaders arm-in-arm in Paris, vividly captures the cynical efforts of powerful states to make political capital from the Charlie Hebdo atrocity.

Charlie Hebdo publishes cartoons about all figures in authority, be they political or religious. It has depicted the leaders of the Catholic and Jewish faith more times than it has ever featured pictures of Muslim leaders.

Thank you Gerard Howlin for distilling the Middle East problem so eloquently and astutely. (‘Verbal attacks on Israel encourage the killing of Jews in Europe’, Irish Examiner, January 14).

We, the Three Faiths Forum, condemn in the strongest terms the attacks in Paris.

People who believe they are entitled to kill anyone who dares to mock their religious beliefs need to get a life, as distinct from taking lives.

The Palestinian Authority agreed under the Oslo accords that resolution of its dispute with Israel should be by direct negotiation and not via outside channels.

It would appear that Irish Rail still believes that the people of Cobh and Midleton or at least those who wish to travel by train, should be in their beds at a respectable hour. 

Without irony, the Israeli deputy ambassador lists apparent violations of the Oslo accords, which she says justify the withholding of tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority (Letters, January 10).