Give peace
work a chance

[Re: Ongoing debate in Mirror letter section] As an Israeli citizen who is deeply opposed to the occupation of Palestinian land and lives, I’m frustrated by the schoolyard battle between the same people week after week in the pages of the Mirror.

Thoughtful criticism of Israeli policies does not constitute anti-Semitism, and it’s time to stop this nonsense.

Although there are huge numbers of Israelis and Palestinians who are opposed to the endless bloodshed and actively seeking a real peace, we don’t hear enough about them in the media, who systematically under-report peace work among Palestinians and Israelis, while devoting disproportionate attention to the militants on both sides.

I suggest you check out the work of the Parents Circle Bereaved Families Forum, a group of over 500 Israeli and Palestinian families who have all lost children or other family members to the conflict and who have directed their grief towards the pursuit of peace in the region. Their courageous, compassionate work should be front and centre in the media.

Spend some time at www.justvision.org, a non-profit organization that informs local and international audiences about under-documented Palestinian and Israeli joint civilian efforts to resolve the conflict non-violently.

Join a local dialogue group and meet some real people—Palestinians, Israelis and members of their respective diasporas who are devoted to pursuing understanding and a just, peaceful resolution to this painful conflict—even if they might have different views on things that may be painful to you.

Accept that there are multiple, legitimate narratives describing the same historic events and that your understanding might not be the same as someone else’s and try to bridge that gap with knowledge and compassion.

Find the staggering number of joint Israeli-Palestinian groups that you have never heard of, and ask yourself (and the media), why don’t I know about this?

Ask yourself, is what I am doing actively helping to end the bloodshed, or just fuelling the fire?

>> Shira Avni

Chomsky & Finkelstein vs.Dershowitz

[Re: “Finkelstein vs. Dershowitz,” Letters, Jan. 24] You see what happens when you give the slightest concession to your opponents?

I state that Noam Chomsky is an intelligent Jewish Israel-hater as opposed to Norman Finkelstein, who may have intelligence, but whose arguments are usually lacking same, and it gets thrown in my face by one Dylan Fraser.

Fraser then quotes Chomsky as ruling that Finkelstein has clearly trumped Alan Dershowitz, notorious Israel defender.

Obviously, while I agree that Chomsky is very intelligent, I don’t agree with his opinions.

Fraser could have quoted some of them, but did not. Instead he did the above.

Surprise! Israel-hater Chomsky says Israel-hater Finkelstein has won a debate with Israel-supporter Dershowitz.

That’s like saying the Pope decrees that Thomas More has won a debate with Martin Luther. The fix is in.

>> Ken Frankel

No wonder Alan Dershowitz is admired by Zionists.

Whether defending O.J. Simpson or Israel, the torture-apologist Dershowitz clearly lives by the principle he proudly articulated: “It is the job of the defence attorney—especially when representing the guilty—to use all legal means, to prevent the ‘whole truth’ from coming out.”  

>> Shirley Groves

Loathes The Hour

[Re: “Canadian fakin’,” Jan. 17] I love the CBC. I loath The Hour.

I felt compelled to write the Mirror a thank you note for airing the pain I feel while watching George Stroumboulopoulos “interview” fine guests who may, I fear, believe he is one of our finest.

Each time I escape the eternity that is the silence following any one of his “jokes” I feel I have lost something of myself.

Unlike Raf, I am not “glad” his show exists. I would much prefer the same guests just enter stage right, sit down and wing it.

In fact, I would probably prefer watching an hour of any given guest play Simon (the light memory game from the ’80s) but that’s beside the point.

P.S. I also really hate that every other show is a rerun.

P.P.S. I only watch it because it is him or CTV.

>> Jono

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