Irish heroine stops a bullet to save the children

ON Saturday, November 23, our media treated us to the now familiar news of another battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians.

But this time the truth behind the usual media-speak was momentarily revealed, owing to the presence at a scene of a remarkably brave Irishwoman named Caoimhe Butterly.

It appears that the reported “battle” turned out to be between Palestinian children armed with stones and fully armed Israeli soldiers who occupy the refugee camp which is the children’s home.

Not surprisingly, the soldiers suffered no casualties in the “battle”. However, the brave Israeli troops did manage to shoot dead one nine-year-old and inflict brain damage on another.

The unarmed Ms Butterly was rewarded for her attempt to help one child by being shot at point blank range by an Israeli soldier. Fortunately, she was shot only once and in the thigh.

Were she a Palestinian, her fate might well have been very different. Is it not time that decent people throughout the world demand an immediate halt to this savage oppression of a defenceless people. Is it not time that those Western politicians who profess a new-found interest in “war on terrorism” include on their wanted list those who occupy the land of others and shoot little children on the streets?

Charles Hayes,

East Ferry,

Midleton,

Co Cork.