Nice decorating: Letters, 21 December

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

Palestine debate stirs emotions

In reply to M Brooks (Letters, Dec 19) who complains of Newt Gingrich being "ignorant" due to his comment that the Palestinians are an "invented people" needs to be corrected.

He is far from ignorant; on the contrary Gingrich is doing the free world a service of commendable good in correcting the misinformation, and often downright lies perpetrating from the Palestinian propaganda machine.

The Palestinian Arabs fail to acknowledge the history of ancient Israel, falsely creating a new historic Palestinian identity to suit their newly acquired title from terrorist to fighters for liberty.

The original land of Israel had simply been renamed "Palestine" by the Romans, after they destroyed the remnants of the thousand-year Jewish presents.

Gingrich also reminded people of the consistent barrage of rockets issuing from the Palestinian side, with no hint of any news organisation giving it a mention. Roy Smith Tauranga Get facts right Re Mary Brooks' letter (Dec 19). The facts about Palestine. You are right, that is how the name Palestine came to be.

However, there are two different issues here, it pays to check all the true facts first. There is no such a people as "Palestinians".

The people called such today were Arabs from different countries roundabout who settled in the land, but never made much of it. When Israel became a state it was the Arab nations who caused the problems.

Generally, the Jewish people have tried to work together with them, and still do. A large percentage of the people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem do not want an independent state, because they would be the losers, big time.

However, the gullible and uninformed people here in the West keep on harping on about the poor Palestinians. Yes, many of them are, but that is caused by their terrorist leaders.

A Vannoppen, Welcome Bay

Nice decorating

May I, through your pages, express a compliment to the person(s) who made and decorated the Christmas trees in the Goddards Centre - simply stunning - pure white simplistic magic of total white paper, handmade decorations - even the angel atop.

A clever inspirational decoration option.

Well done whoever and thank you for the joy.

M Bruning Tauranga