A fine letter in yesterday’s Sydney Morning Herald:
Finally, Kevin Rudd has done the unthinkable and questioned Israel about its actions (”Betrayed PM should not be taken for granted by Israel”, February 26). As Peter Hartcher points out, this is not the Prime Minister’s style.
Mr Rudd seems to have a distorted his Christianity by stating that “Israel is in his DNA”. As a Christian, I would have hoped he would recall the essence of the Christian message – that we are all children of God and implicitly share the same DNA: Muslim, Jewish, Christian and everyone else.
Mr Rudd was silent on the invasion of Gaza in February 2008, which left more than 120 Palestinians dead. He was silent about the deaths of more than 1300 Palestinians in January last year. He dismissed the United Nations fact-finding mission to Gaza, led by Richard Goldstone, that called for transparent war crimes investigations on both sides.
He would have also ignored the extrajudicial killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh but for the forgery of the three Australian passports. Certainly not a perfect example of man committed to following the principle of international law, but better late than never.
Yes, Israel needs friends, and there is no question that Australia remains one, but friends must be accountable for their actions. If Israel wishes to see the end of Hamas arms traders and of rocket attacks, it needs to follow international law, cease attacks by its air force, navy and army on Palestinians, and end the occupation of Palestinian territory.
Stewart Mills Balmain
Response to this letter in SMH:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/living-by-the-sword-perpetuates-cycle-of-hate-20100228-pb22.html
“The notion that we are all children of God is not the essence of the Christian message as Stewart Mills says (Letters, February 27-28). We are all created by God, yes, but we all are alienated from God unless we have faith in Christ.
However, Mills is right that we Christians ought not to favour Israel over Palestine, save where some Muslims are committed to destroying Israel regardless. Some Christians have the idea that Israel is central to God’s plans for the future, but this also is a misunderstanding.
Israel has a right to exist as all nations do, and although some Israelis seem to have forgotten the treatment of their own or use it as an excuse, Israel has the right to defend itself. It is fighting against enemies that operate covertly and without rules. What does one do in that situation?”
David Ashton Orange
Response to this:
“For those confused about who or who is not a child of God then it might be helpful to stick with Jesus’ words (and not Paul’s); David Ashton (Letters 1 March). “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9)
Stewart Mills