Denying Palestinian students academic opportunities in Ireland is indefensible

Sir, – It is difficult in reading Dr David Woods’s letter (Letters, August 27th) to believe he is not motivated by an anti-Palestinian bias. To immediately jump to a charge that students benefiting from this programme would then claim refugee asylum and seek to have their families join them is disturbing.

To deny these students an opportunity for academic advancement, especially given the horror they live through on a daily and ongoing basis, is frankly indefensible. To then justify his objections by referencing the challenges faced by Irish students is contemptible. – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL McKENNA,

Knocklyon,

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Dublin 16.

Sir, – Dr David Woods castigates the university leadership in Ireland for daring to encourage and welcome Gaza students to study in Ireland.

He simplistically lists “contempt for native Irish students and contempt for Irish taxpayers” as two of three “problems” he sees with university leadership here.

But his third “problem” with the leadership here caught my eye: “Their arrogant belief that they can use the universities to further their private political agendas.”

Woods finishes his letter indicating his address as “Department of Classics, University College Cork”. – Yours, etc,

ENDA FANNING,

Churchtown,

Dublin 14.