'Both have suffered political conflict'

I read with interest the comments, in last week’s Lurgan Mail, from the Mayor of Craigavon Stephen Moutray regarding the current situation in the Middle East.

In the interest of balance, something must also be said of the experiences of the people of Palestine.

Mr Moutray is quite right in saying that we have much in common with the situation in the Middle East.

Unfortunately we have both suffered prolonged periods of political conflict, military occupation and oppression, and violence.

Like here in the north, these tragic circumstances have affected all sides in the conflict, including the Palestinians.

The Israeli regime, which Mr Moutray labels as a fully functioning democracy, is the same regime which has in recent times engaged in the stealing of identities and passports of both Irish and British citizens, assassinations in foreign territories, attacks on humanitarian aid ships in international waters and illegally continues to occupy Palestinian sovereign territory in Gaza and the West Bank.

Their continued blockade of Gaza, which prevents both economic and humanitarian aid reaching those in need, has led to the British Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron joining the growing list of political leaders, including Gerry Adams, who have labelled Gaza as a ‘giant open prison’.

The UN has also called on the Israeli Government to end its blockade of Gaza through various resolutions, all of which have been ignored.

Are these the actions of a fully functioning democracy?

Justice and peace in the Middle-East are the crucial issue here and these cannot be gained without Palestinian national and human rights being respected.