Bernard Walker (
href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/letters-co-governance-and-the-coalition-waiheke-island-local-board-flying-the-palestinian-flag-question-time-circus/MUQZNLP6DVDLTJI4HWOMBKNMLY/" target="_blank">Herald on Sunday, December 10) says the Waiheke Island Local Board wants to fly the Palestinian flag, but knows nothing about what happened in Israel on October 7. I would respectfully suggest Mr Walker does not know anything about international humanitarian law. Killing innocent civilians is a war crime and against the Geneva Conventions.
Whatever Hamas did on October 7 does not give a liberal democracy like Israel carte blanche to kill as many civilians as it likes. Over 17,000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured, 70 per cent of these deaths and injuries are women and children. Hamas is a ruthless terrorist organisation but women and children cannot stop Hamas. How can killing innocent civilians be construed as defence?
Diane Anderson, Sunnynook.
Gliding on
Compulsory unionism reached a crescendo in the 70s, encapsulated in the comedy TV series Gliding On in the 80s. Then it was abolished and privatisation appeared, resulting in unions losing a lot of their strength. As employers have never been known to overpay, worker protection is necessary. The repeal of the Fair Pay agreement and reintroduction of the 90-day trial will do nothing to improve industrial relations.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Political grandstanding
When will Christopher Luxon finally earn some “Flybuy points” and show some modicum of leadership by telling his two childish, delinquent, petulant deputies to stop political grandstanding and work co-operatively together to come up with meaningful and practical solutions to our ever-growing tsunami-like list of problems, which are now too many to list?
Most voters have had a gutsful and we now demand some action, which was why we voted for them in the first place.
The time for meaningless platitudes, grinning photo opportunities and cuddles has long disappeared over the horizon as the sun sets ever so slowly in the west.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport.
Israel and Gaza
In relation to Bernard Walker’s screed, I wonder if he’s actually paid any attention to the history of that unhappy region.
If he’d think back to 2018 and the Gaza Great March of Return, when the IDF, unprovoked, shot down unarmed protesters at the fence, and a group of young Israelis sat in a watchtower and laughed at their deaths, he might’ve chosen his words more carefully.
As it is, he assumes that the Palestinian national flag is the Hamas flag alone, and that’s as useful as believing that the New Zealand national flag is the flag of the National Party alone.
The reason why there are refugee camps - now cities - in Gaza is because the Haganah, including its elite units called the Palmach, allied with the Jewish Hitler-loving terrorist groups the Stern Gang and Irgun, descended on Arab Villages in 1948 and forced them off their land and into Gaza and then, formed into the IDF, proceeded to terrorise them over the following decades.
The current conflict is largely due to Israel being allowed to get away with these crimes against humanity.
Wesley Parish, Tauranga.
Ramping up disembarkment
I have recently used the various ferry services in Auckland.
It is obviously a means of transport with great potential as our roads become ever more congested.
However, surely the berthing procedure could be made so much more efficient.
As we approach the wharf, the boat is turned 180 degrees and then slowly and very skilfully edged to a point where the for and aft crew, using bits of rope, tie us up to the correct posts.
Then a boarding ramp is adjusted for height and lowered down and we are invited to cross this single-lane ramp as we all very slowly clear the boat ready for the oncoming passengers to single file on board. Time, I think, for wise heads to find a dramatically improved procedure suitable for the 21st century.
Vince West, Milford.
