As two local people, one of Palestinian heritage and the other of Jewish legacy, we want jointly to share with local people our dismay and anger at what is happening in Israel/Palestine.

The source of the conflict between the state of Israel and the Palestinian people is seemingly complex but has been used by the Netenyahu government to bolster him in power. He was on the point of losing his prime ministerial status and therefore opening himself up to corruption charges and a possible prison sentence. Instead of that, an apartheid law has been passed that enables Palestinian Israelis to be evicted from their homes and Jewish Israelis to take over, and for land in the West Bank to be seized illegally by Israel. It has increased the second-class status of Israeli Palestinians. Far right Jewish groups have been encouraged to use violence against innocent Palestinians. Meanwhile the Israeli state has unleashed horror and killing on innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

Although Israel has vastly more weapons and resources, the Hamas leadership in Gaza is hardly better for loosing off indiscriminate volleys of missiles into Israel that have killed both Palestinian and Jewish Israelis, as well as the mob attacks on Jews in Israel.

We support the right of return by Palestinians thrown into exile in 1948 to their homeland. This appalling wrong needs to be righted. The first and immediate step is a ceasefire, followed by effective mediation. At the moment there is a danger to peace and progress across the whole Middle East.

Cllr Norman Kay,

(Green, Nailsworth)

Nailsworth

And

Tony Anhoury,

Nailsworth