Conflict needs more study and less opinion
May I suggest that anyone who wants to express an opinion on this subject first read ‘From Time Immemorial’ by Joan Peters. It is not an easy read as it contains so much detail, but it is worth the effort. Most of your correspondents on this subject have obviously only taken a late interest in this subject and have not taken the trouble to do any research into its origins.
The media in general are not much help as they take the lazy approach and usually find it more profitable to tell people what they like to hear.
Just to give a small taste of the complicated background to this problem, in 1931 there were Muslims living in the district of Jerusalem who were born in 28 different countries. At the same time, and in the same place, there were Christians from 49 countries.
Also in 1931, and in the area which was left of Palestine after the British set up the state of Jordan on the East Bank, Muslims spoke 28 different languages and Christians 45 different languages. Believe it or not, the Irish language was also represented. Damien McBride’s letter (also July 14) was a bit of a puzzle. He admired the newly established state of Israel in 1947, but lost his admiration for it after 1948. Does he mean that if the Israeli’s had been massacred by the Arabs in 1948, he would have retained his admiration? Read the book!
Monty Ross,
15, Loftus Square,
Rathfarnam,
Dublin 14.
