Israel a beacon of democracy in Mideast

I WAS astonished to read the letter of January 17 by Daniel Teegan concerning Israel and the Palestinians. Unfortunately, it reproduced many tired clichés, characteristic of those who seek to demonise the State of Israel.

In his efforts to portray Israel as the aggressor, Mr Teegan chooses to ignore the facts. He states that the IDF in the recent conflict, Operation Cast-Lead, December 2008-January 2009, “murdered” civilians in Gaza. In fact, the number of dead quoted in his letter is false, and even Hamas cites lower figures than he does and also admits that half of the dead were Hamas combatants. Mr Teegan seems to be promoting propaganda more favourable to Hamas than even Hamas itself is. He also conveniently omits to mention that this operation was a reaction to years of rocket attacks on Israeli civilians from Gaza.

Mr Teegan’s assertion that Irish tourists should not visit the ancient Holy Land, because to do so is “an endorsement of Israeli racist propaganda” against the Palestinians, is shocking. The Holy Land — incorporating modern Israel — is of huge emotional and symbolic importance to many Irish people, and devout Christians globally. The Holy Land also incorporates the modern West Bank. Israel and the Palestinian Authority together encourage religious tourism to the region; religious tourists play a significant part in boosting the West Bank Palestinian economy which has grown very fast in recent years thanks to improved security, stability and co-operation with the Israeli authorities.

Israel does have a policy of restricting what is imported into Gaza, but that is to prevent Hamas acquiring munitions that could enable it to fire thousands of rockets on Israel, as it has done in the past. Hamas is still trying to import munitions to the present day. This policy, however, does not affect the health and welfare of the Palestinian people in Gaza. In fact, world health standards show that Gaza actually has living standards (life expectancy, infant mortality, literacy) better than in most parts of the Middle East and even some EU member states.

Perhaps Mr Teegan wants to discourage Irish people from visiting Israel and the West Bank because he is afraid that if they do they might find out the truth: that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, the only country with open politics, a free press, social liberty, and equality under the law, while the West Bank with its economic growth and moderation stands in stark contrast to the poverty, terror and despair of Palestinians in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Boaz Modai

Ambassador of Israel

Dublin 4