Alternative view of release from Gaza

From: Peter Walker, Elvington Gardens, Luton.

I OFFER a different view to that of Bill Carmichael (Yorkshire Post, October 22) concerning the prisoner exchange in Palestine.

The Hamas resistance movement carried out a well-planned and highly succesful raid upon armed soldiers of the Israeli occupation force resulting in the capture of Gilat Shalit; this person and his colleagues being involved in maintaining the illegitimate blockade of Gaza, a virtual concentration camp.

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During the five years of Shalit’s captivity, Hamas was able to keep secret his whereabouts, notwithstanding the constant bombardment of Gaza, and particularly the vile operation “Cast Lead”.

The Hamas Government presumably ensured the safety of Shalit by keeping him in an underground cell, hence the reason why he looked gaunt upon his release. An admirable feat for which I am sure Shalit’s parents are profoundly grateful.

Easy mistake to make...

From: Malcolm Naylor, Grange View, Otley.

MAY I thank W Clarke for correcting my mistake (Yorkshire Post, October 31) and apologise for assuming that the suggestion to move the elderly into smaller accommodation came from the Conservatives. As he rightly said it came from none other than the Labour Party’s Tessa Jowell.

However I do not apologise for my prejudices against the Conservatives no matter which party they belong to and I include Tessa Jowell in that category.

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Party names are now meaningless and do not reflect the philosophy of their policies. The Labour Party is no longer an alternative to or distinguishable from the Conservatives, thanks to the premierships of Blair and Brown. So once again thank you W Clarke for pointing this out and hope it provides as a salutary lesson for Labour Party supporters as it did to me for making this mistake.

Pensioners – stop moaning

From: Margaret Jowett, Ashcroft, Stanmore, Bishop Auckland.

I AM absolutely fuming over the article by Dr Ros Altman (Yorkshire Post, October 21). There was absolutely no need for the two elderly neighbours to dress in such a fashion in adequate temperatures.

They are just namby- pambies and typical of the attitude of some of today’s pensioners.

I am 80, and can look back on times of true austerity when we scraped the ice off the inside of our windows. When, in times of rationing, there was little to eat. But did we grumble – no!

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There is absolutely nothing wrong in wrapping oneself in a blanket with a hot water bottle, in order to keep the central heating low. We are so lucky to have centrally heated houses.

I have two friends, one aged 79 and the other 81 who have just returned from mountain walking in Switzerland. They don’t believe in central heating.

When are this new generation of pensioners going to get real, stop moaning, be thankful to be alive and stop moaning again and again?

Noises of dissent

From: John Cook, Northfield Way, Scalby, Scarborough.

FURTHER to your article “Rugby club attacks sound licence snub” (Yorkshire Post, October 27) I was astonished that Mr Young (spokesman of Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club) could state that there was no evidence of the club being responsible for noise pollution.

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Perhaps he could therefore explain why 129 residents felt the need to object and why strong objections were lodged by the parish councils of Newby & Scalby and Burniston (both situated either side of the club), and the Scalby Village Trust.

Also the council’s own licensing department expressed concern at the position while the health and environmental department readily stated that local residents would hear noise should the application be passed.

Mr Young also states that the mini-rugby festival and Yorkshire v Lancashire match are now under threat. Why? They can still go ahead but without the noise element.

Incidentally, when one councillor asked what dates the various events would take place no answer was forthcoming yet here we are now finding that such events, and dates, are known and being advertised on the website.

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The planning application was properly conducted, with both sides allowed their say to the committee, who then debated the issue freely and frankly.

Their decision was certainly a relief to local residents.