SIR – Despite media portrayals of Israel using indiscriminate force in Gaza, US military leaders have affirmed that Israel has gone to greater lengths to protect civilians than any other nation in wartime history. Colonel Richard Kemp, the former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, echoes this view. No military has been so closely scrutinized and micromanaged by its allies as Israel’s.
Questions arise as to why the British government focuses so much on Israel while largely ignoring conflicts such as Sudan. Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, has been engulfed in violence, with its capital city devastated, potentially 150,000 people dead and millions displaced. The conflict between Sudan’s armed forces and rapid aid forces, fueled by foreign powers including the UAE, Iran and Russia, has led to a serious humanitarian and geopolitical crisis.
This violence has led to widespread famine. It threatens to destabilize neighboring countries, send new waves of refugees into Europe and disrupt global trade through the Suez Canal.
While reports suggest that the UK withholding arms from Israel will not significantly affect Israel’s military capabilities against Hamas and Iranian proxies, this act of betrayal suggests that Sir Kiir Starmer is pandering to left-wing anti-Israel groups within Labor and large Muslim constituencies.
John KemplerSydney, New South Wales, Australia
SIR – I was a tank commander in the first Gulf War. Before deploying to the Gulf in August 1991, my crew and I had hours of training for the conditions we might encounter.
An Israeli soldier explains from his experience what an incoming Soviet-made anti-tank missile looks like – and more importantly how to avoid hitting a tank.
In February 1992 we were at war and a missile hit us. Our driver, thanks to his training, dodged the missile. For this reason I owe my life to the Israeli army.
We have few allies who share our basic values and are willing to defend liberal democracy. Israel is one such country, so banning arms sales disrespects an important ally.
Rupert GaitherLondon SW3
SIR – The atrocities of October 7 give Israel the right to defend itself, find and destroy Hamas, and do everything possible to free the hostages it holds. The government’s ban on arms sales to Israel has more to do with internal Labor Party politics than any moral or military consideration.
However, Israel does not paint a very clear picture of what victory looks like. When will enough be enough and how will we know when we have reached that point?
Peter LittleHerne Bay, Kent
Action after Grenfell
SIR – The report on this has taken a long time Grenfell fire incident to be published. Now action needs to be taken against all those who helped in the tragedy.
It would be an outrage if we were simply told that “lessons will be learned”. There are many more unsafe buildings like Grenfell and, unless strong action is taken now, no one will bother to fix known failures until the next tragedy.
Mick FerryMaunan Smith, Cornwall
SIR – When it comes to providing a memorial to the victims of Grenfell, I think we should take our lead from New York after the attack on the World Trade Center.
There, the thousands who lost their lives are commemorated by a relatively modest memorial at ground level, and the rest of the site has been brought back to life as part of their vibrant city.
John StewartTerrick, Buckinghamshire
School inspection
SIR – While it is true that Ofsted has reviewed its approach to one- or two-word grading of schools (Letters, 4 September), I wonder if this action still represents a failure to see the wood for the trees.
As head teacher of a prep school, I come under an inspection regime equivalent to that of an independent school inspector. Much of the tension comes not from the final, fateful words, but from the overall structure of the observation itself. While the stated “spirit” of the visit is “aligned with the everyday life of the school”, the reality of this highly narrowed, isolated, infrequent and intense visit is far from that aspiration.
It would be my preference to have a “relationship” supervisor assigned to work with the school on a regular, two-way basis. This way the inspector will get to know us and can collaborate with us to find areas of excellence. And the areas we need to focus on.
Fundamental change is needed, not just to alleviate stress for teachers, but to make the process – and in turn, the schools – better as a result.
Tom GregoryHeadmaster, St Andrew’s Prep Eastbourne, East Sussex
Milk Insurance
Sir – Living alone on the outskirts of the village, I have often remarked that my milkmen (Letters, 4 September) is a form of insurance.
It is only a few days before he finds uncollected milk if disaster strikes.
John WilliamsBradwell-on-Sea, Essex
Fluent American
SIR – I am looking forward to purchasing a copy of Simon Heffer’s new book on Americanism (Features, 4 September).
In the 1990s I was working on an Anglo-American software project, with a large number of Brits with us. My scheduled contributions involved teaching cockney rhyming slang to the Americans – they particularly liked “there’s a butcher in it”.
When we had to have a heart-to-heart to give feedback on each other’s work, I would say “not bad”—which they interpreted as “not good,” when I meant it was good, not just that. “Champion” material. In turn, they would use “feels good” – which I interpreted as “satisfied”, when to them it was high praise.
Thirty years later we are still good friends on social media.
Keith AppleyardWest Wickham, Kent
Price of alcohol
SIR – The idea of banning smoking in pub gardens has been met with exaggerated claims that this spells the end of hospitality. There is similar outrage with talk of minimum unit pricing (MUP) for liquor. However, MUP can be a lifeline for pubs.
Cheap alcohol from supermarkets has turned us into a nation of home-drinkers, reducing foot traffic to local pubs and bars and threatening to close important social spaces. By setting a minimum price, the government can level the playing field, making pubs a more attractive option for those who might otherwise choose to drink cheaply at home.
Publicans recognize this. A survey by the Institute of Alcohol Studies showed that 47 per cent of the public considered cheap supermarket alcohol to be the biggest threat to the pub’s success, while 14 per cent favored indoor smoking bans.
Given how much harm alcohol causes, now is the time to follow the evidence of what the government is doing. MUP has saved lives in Scotland without harming the hospitality trade. By more closely aligning the price of alcohol across different outlets, MUP provides a rare dual benefit, supporting both pub survival and public health.
Professor Sir Ian GilmourChair, Alcohol Health Alliance London NW1
The future of conservation
Sir – I see that Labor is going to repeat the common mistake of British governments. It has ordered a defense review (Report, 4 September) before defining his foreign policy.
If those conducting defense reviews do not know what foreign policy is supposed to support, there is no hope of getting it right.
In these uncertain times, that, combined with the failure to significantly increase defense spending as promised, should make us all very concerned.
Chris OttwellBristol
Empty shed
SIR – I was amazed to see the photograph (September 4) of a virtually empty garden shed which won Cuprinol’s Garden Shed of the Year award.
That’s obviously just decoration, because any real shed like my three would be full of bicycles, motorcycles, sports equipment and lawn mowers – not just a chair.
Chris DevineSalisbury, Wiltshire
Signatures as attachments to family history
SIR – I’ve always felt uncomfortable signing documents digitally, when the “signature” is actually a selection from four computer-generated graphics that simply spell out my name (“Erasing of signatures is a sad sign of the times”, Features, September 2). For this reason, I have practiced digitally signing my original signature, and after a few tries the results are perfectly acceptable.
However, there is nothing like seeing the original signatures of our ancestors – whether they were famous or not. I recently made the extraordinary discovery of a contract signed by my direct ancestor in 1624.
Now I have this document, and touching the signature (with a very clean hand) made 400 years ago provokes a reaction that no computer-generated image will ever match.
Nicholas YoungLondon W13
Angela Renner’s pose on ‘Right to Buy’
SIR – Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy policy enabled council-house tenants to buy their homes at a discount after years of paying rent (“Rainer in talks to end Thatcher’s ‘right to buy'”, Report, September 4).
It meant that more people had the opportunity to own a home, securing a better future for their families. However, mistakes were made and never corrected. Local councils did not hedge the money they received to build or buy new council homes.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner took advantage of the policy – but now doesn’t want others to take advantage of it.
Grizelda HargreavesMarket Bosworth, Leicestershire
SIR – Surely your Right to Buy Council House was and still is one of the most successful schemes of all time. I realize that, as tenants have bought their homes, not enough council houses have been replaced by new ones. This must be corrected.
Giving people the opportunity to buy their own home – if and when they can afford it – changes their whole attitude towards life, and should be encouraged whenever possible.
Jennie SherborneRockbourne, Hampshire
SIR – Sales of council houses have been a disaster.
More than 2 million have been sold, with only a small fraction changed hands, contributing to our huge shortage of social housing.
The policy was certainly a vote-winner for the Conservative Party, but I failed to see any other sustainable benefit.
Kate Grimm-CookBrixham, Devon
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