In the Media

Canberra Times 

Letter to the Editor, October 17, 2025

As usual when Jack Waterford indulges his obsession with demonising Israel, there’s far too much disinformation in his October 11 column to rebut in one letter.

Israel’s war was against Hamas, not civilians. Hamas are proscribed terrorists, not a “political group”.

Protecting civilians by evacuating them to safe areas is not ethnic cleansing. No doubt had Israel not done so, Waterford would have called that genocidal.

Waterford defending Hamas by claiming it was provoked is disgusting. Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The Palestinians have rejected many offers of statehood. Hamas are genocidal fundamentalists who repeatedly attack because they’re committed to destroying Israel.

Israel did not deliberately starve Gaza. There was enough aid overall, but Hamas stole vast quantities.

Hamas, not Israel, prolonged the war by refusing to surrender and release the hostages.

Israel’s campaign was not disproportionate and certainly not genocidal. The percentage of fighters killed as against civilians was better than in any other recent urban warfare campaign, despite Hamas sacrificing civilians as human shields.

Hamas routinely used civilian buildings such as hospitals, homes, schools and mosques for military purposes, making them legitimate targets.

Israel is not apartheid. All Israel civilians have equal rights.

There is no comparison between the Jewish militia fighting off Arab attacks in pre-state Israel and the Hamas October 7 atrocities.

Israel accepted a state in the areas allocated by the UN in 1947, but the Arabs launched a war, rejecting Israel’s existence.

Palestinian leaders, through terrorism and rejectionism, are responsible for Palestinian suffering, not the West or Israel.

Jamie Hyams OAM
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), Melbourne, Vic.