To the Editor,
Re: Vote puts Canada right in its place, Letters, Dec. 6.
I read Mike Gogo’s recent letter stating that he is ashamed of our federal government voting against the Palestinians.
To the contrary, I have never been prouder to be a native-born, life-long Canadian citizen.
I believe that vote and the succinct explanation of same by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird truly ranks among Canada’s finest hours.
Gogo also assails Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as having never shown any interest in peace.
Nothing could be more erroneous. I believe Netanyahu prays daily for a workable and reliable peace, but he must face the daily reality of being surrounded by enemies who are relentlessly hostile to Israel.
All it would take for lasting peace to be agreed upon would be a joint statement by important Arab leaders that they fully accept Israel’s place within the international community of nations and agree that Israel, like any nation, deserves the right to live within their boundaries in peace and security.
Gogo’s argument that Israel’s actions to defend its borders truly resemble the Nazi Holocaust is too nonsensical to merit rebuttal.
All the Arabs require to live in secure peace is to truly grant Israel the right to live in secure peace. It is that simple.
Leonard Melman
Nanoose Bay