Silence on Hamas violence towards women is shocking

Ariela Bard articulated what has been clearly apparent for all thoughtful citizens to see, which is essentially the application of a devastatingly parallel universe moral framework when the nation of Israel is concerned (“Feminists fall silent in wake of Hamas barbarity”, 7/12).

As she noted, it is simply extraordinary that leftist and activist feminists – particularly those in the Greens and Labor segments who were so quick to criticise Tony Abbott or Scott Morrison for an innocuous wink or a flippant line – have been silent concerning the brutal sexual transgressions that occurred during the October 7 massacre.

Given the ideological context of the Middle East, one would think that the progressives would look kindly upon the small Jewish state that is essentially the only bastion of genuine freedom, democracy and liberalism in a cauldron of religious rancour. Indeed, where else in this troubled region could you possibly have a gay pride rally openly held and celebrated?

And yet, in some kind of twisted and reverse logic, all manner of ills are being linked to the relative health, success and prosperity of the nation of Israel, while the atrocities of Hamas are either sanitised or justified as some kind of legitimate de-colonial pushback.

In 1971, as ACTU president, Bob Hawke made these remarks: “If the bell tolls for Israel, it won’t just toll for Israel, it will toll for all mankind … Every decent human being must be committed to the viability of Israel.”

How far the so-called champions of morality on the right side of history have indeed fallen from this eloquent ideal!

– Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn, Vic

The Australian’s coverage of the feminist groups’ silence about the initial October 7 atrocities, especially those directed at women, and now compounded by the newly revealed diabolical details, has been telling.

Some soul-searching is required by those exposed as hypocrites. It should be obvious, as some have claimed, that being Jewish somehow makes the victim of vile aggression less deserving of sympathy and support among some people. They should ask themselves why.

Further, the explicit details of the violence directed toward women by the Hamas terrorists (the breast and genital mutilations) are indicative of the extreme misogyny underlying the nature of the attacks. We should all ask: Where does this come from?

Similarly, as reported, again by The Australian, the silence and inaction by the relevant authorities in relation to known vile hate speech by identified religious leaders and by some “protest” attendees is deplorable.

I consider each of these silences contributes toward a background of implicit condoning of anti-Semitic hatred in the broader community.

– Ron Spielman, Paddington, NSW

Ariela Bard is to be congratulated on her article and The Australian for printing it. I am one of the women who keeps asking, why aren’t the MeToo movement speaking out for these Israeli women? Their silence is deafening and they should be ashamed.

– Sheila Duke, Bulimba, Qld

I thank Ariela Baird for her excellent article. She has voiced what so many have been observing with horror: the shocking silence or denial of the truth of the Hamas attack of October 7 and its ramifications, especially the barbaric violation and murder of women.

The failure of so-called women’s rights groups and some mainstream media to acknowledge these dreadful acts is reprehensible.

– Pam Sackville, Bellevue Hill, NSW

The shocking conspiracy of silence on Hamas barbarism was called out by Ariela Bard.

The nauseating and mind-numbing rape and mutilation of Jewish women by Hamas terrorists echoed many of the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis and their allies against Jewish women during World War II.

These too were met with a culpable silence lifted only in the most recent of decades.

The moral clarity inherent in Bard’s article needs to be resolutely replicated, with the continuous and focused calling out of lies, misrepresentations, double standards, weak leadership and inexplicable silence.

– Alan Franklin, St Ives, NSW