ON Wednesday, I attended a talk in Blackburn Cathedral that I saw posted on their notice board, in Darwen Street. It was about the occupation of Palestine and the demolition of the occupants’ homes.

Since 1967, 144,000 people have been made homeless. In 2009, 4,247 homes were destroyed.

There were two Palestinian speakers, both of whom had experienced their homes being destroyed.

The gentleman Salim Shamal had gone through this five times. The lady related how her youngest daughter had lost her sight as an outcome of seeing her home destroyed.

An organisation has been set up which is a combination of Israeli and Palestinian people to combat this atrocity. Information can be found on www.icahaduk.org I encourage people to look at it and spread the word of the atrocities that are committed there.

Salim said that he felt that the Israeli people were not aggressive and that it was their government, with their own agenda, that acted aggressively towards his people.

The situation has been compared to what the Nazis did to the Jews, without the executions, and what the South Africans did to the blacks under apartheid.

I feel we must put pressure on our Government to bring about sanctions against Israel and personally boycott all goods and products from Israel.

I also praise the Cathedral for staging such a talk and look forward to attending similar events there in the future.

TONY MAKIN (via email)