Time for Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza

Editor,

Now, surely, it must be time for Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza.

While the Israeli government's concern for its own security is understandable, their three year blockade of Gaza is both unjustifiable and counter-productive.

By pursuing an uncompromising and confrontational approach to the legitimate inhabitants of Palestine, Israel was bound to find itself embroiled in an escalating problem.

For the Palestinians to be denied writing paper for their schools and building materials to repair their damaged houses cannot be reasonable. We have now seen an attack in international waters by armed commandos on an unarmed ship carrying humanitarian aid. We have seen unarmed peace activists killed by Israeli soldiers. To describe these attacks as 'self defence' is surely stretching credibility too far.

The approach of the current Israeli government is damaging Israel's world-wide support.

It is time for the Israeli government to re-think its policy on relationships with the Palestinians while they still have some friends left.

Charles West