In response to this article by Michael Jansen in the Irish Times, Jackie Goodall of the Ireland Israel Alliance submitted the letter below. The newspaper has not published her letter so we are publishing it here instead.
Dear Sir
I refer to the Irish Times article of 6th July by Michael Jansen ‘More than 90% of Gaza’s children suffering from trauma.’
Those who concern themselves with accurate press reportage should take the time to investigate the report on which the above article is based. They will find it to be essentially a ten-page slideshow with almost no text, conducted by the highly biased ‘Euro Med Monitor’.
Accurate reportage on the nation state of the Jewish people really does matter, especially given the huge rise in manifestations of anti-Jewish hatred whenever there is an outbreak of violence. This rise was evident within Europe during and following the latest bout of violence which took place between May 10-21, when Hamas and Islamic Jihad indiscriminately fired 4,360 Iranian-sponsored rockets into Israeli cities and towns from heavily populated areas in Gaza, making it a double war crime. Almost seven hundred of those rockets misfired and fell inside the Gaza Strip, killing children, women and men.
Did anyone think to ask who Euro-Med Monitor interviewed? Were they psychiatrists? Children? Parents?
Did anyone think to ask Euro Med-Monitor if they interviewed the families of those Gazans killed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad misfired rockets?
Did anyone think to ask who diagnosed these children with trauma?
Probably not, because it is easier to blame Israel.
We welcome the recent decision by the United Nations to pass a resolution condemning the use of civilians as human shields by terrorist groups, as well as condemning the use of the internet as a tool for the recruitment of terrorists. The Palestinian people deserve better from their leaders. Their homes, hospitals and schools should never be allowed to be used as launch pads for murderous activities, be it against their own people, or against Israeli civilians.
