Sir, - It seems that in trying to view the events surrounding the opening of the Hasmonean tunnel from a Palestinian perspective I have according to Mr Sowiby (letters, November 8th) fallen prey to propaganda. The Israeli Government, however is often equally excessive in its use of language.
During a short interview with the BBC about these events, one Israeli spokesman kept repeating: "What are we supposed to do - let them come and shoot us?" In highly strung situations, people are prone to say unfortunate things - often with detrimental effects, but it does not follow that someone who speaks up for either side has necessarily swallowed such propaganda.
I did not, in fact, state that the opening directly threatened Palestinian national aspirations. I expressed the view that as a result of the new Government's reluctant approach to the peace process (which does threaten such aspirations), the Palestinians on the ground had legitimate concerns which fuelled their response to the new opening. In failing to understand how anyone could be provoked by the new exit (unless they were "looking for an excuse to be provoked" - a rather offensive suggestion), Mr Sowby is viewing it as an isolated incident.
These events were part of a huge political whole. The tunnel was the spark, but Netanyahu's Government lit the fuse by failing to abide by the Oslo Accord. What is at stake here is Jerusalem. It is the linchpin which will make or break the peace process and anything which takes place there, however trivial it may seem to us, can all too easily acquire monumental significance for people on either side of the divide.
I openly admit that I have not seen the infamous tunnel, but I don't believe that this should affect my right to comment on an anti Israeli bias in the press, or on the wider political picture - especially as I have studied the area and travelled widely in the Middle East over the last 20 years. I make no apology for my concerns for the plight of the Palestinian people. We must all be thankful that the Jewish people now have their own homeland. Why cannot the Palestinians be awarded the same dignity? - Yours, etc.,
Knocknamarriff,
Inniscarra,
Co Cork.