Simpson hits out at Deputy Mayor Seeley

He has also hit out at Craigavon Deputy Mayor Catherine Seeley for her support of the Gaza protest in the town centre.

Mr Simpson said: “Any right thinking person will of course be abhorred at the loss of an innocent life, however, to take the view in this very complex conflict that the side with the highest death toll is the only victim would I fear be overlooking the bigger issues.

“Just recently nearly 100 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. These rockets were fired without warning and with the intent of killing anyone who got in their path.

“The Israeli army has a right to defend its citizens from the attacks of terrorists, yet the terrorists have proved time and time again that they are prepared to use civilians as human shields in order to further their intent to destroy the State of Israel.

“Golda Meir once said that she believed there would not be peace in Israel until the terrorists loved their children more than they hated the Jews  and we may be witnessing the manifestation of this.

“The ultimate act of cowardice was last week when Hamas blocked a route between Gaza and Israel that was being used to transport wounded Palestinians to be treated in Israeli hospitals.”

He went on: “It was also sad to see our Deputy Mayor standing in the centre of  Lurgan dictating her support for Palestine’s bitter campaign. I support entirely a  two state solution, as do the vast majority of Israelis.

“However, what Hamas are fighting for is an entire destruction of the State of Israel and this is  something which all democrats should be opposed to.

“The only solution to this conflict is a political one, and in Northern Ireland we should understand this better than most.

“If you support the right of a country such as Israel to exist then you must support its right to  self-defence. I hope and pray that peace will be restored to this region as soon as possible and that those who seek  violence instead of diplomacy  will be silenced and  isolated rather than  lauded by many within  the international community.”