Malaysian airlines shot down over Ukraine (July 18) is absolutely heartbreaking.
Once again, so many innocent lives have been lost. I have tears in my eyes right at this moment thinking about the families who watched the news and saw the video of a plane carrying a beloved family member or friend being shot down.
I do not know what to do except pray for all the people killed and their families and friends.
Everywhere that people are allowed to have weapons or criminals can lay their hands on missiles and bombs, we see nothing but suffering and pain.
May the world not react with more violence but may we keep on bringing light and positive thoughts into the universe.
Anything else will only bring more deaths, more killings, more suffering, more fear.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
It is horrendous that 298 innocent lives have been lost.
Who shot the missile and why? How did this group acquire the expertise to shoot down a jet flying at a height of 10,000 meters?
Normally such technology and equipment is with the armed forces of any country, so we must ask why innocent airline passengers have become victims of an issue involving Russia and Ukraine?
The world is becoming increasingly unsafe for ordinary citizens.
Rajendra K Aneja, Dubai
These innocent people did not deserve to meet such a painful fate.
I feel sorry for the families of the victims who lost their lives in this unfortunate event.
Fatima Suhail, Sharjah
It’s time for the Americans and other countries to step in. It seems that there is a lot more to the story.
Anders Udo, Abu Dhabi
Silence over Gaza toll is deafening
In response to the situation in Palestine (Death toll nears 300 as Israel presses Gaza offensive, July 19), Chile has introduced a trade embargo on Israel. But which other nations have?
Joachim Prinz, who had first-hand experience of Germany in the 1930s, said the following during the March on Washington in 1963:
“I was the rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime. I learnt many things. The most important thing that I learnt in my life is that bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence.”
S Rizvi, India
The entire world stands aghast at the growing atrocities by Israel over a majority of innocent civilians in Gaza.
However, the deafening silence by the world’s leaders is shameful and reprehensible.
The champions of world human rights, the US and the UN, have taken an unjustifiable stance by weighing their sympathies towards Israel.
They have become oblivious to the harrowing philosophy of collective punishment and targeting of civilians in the name of retaliation.
A ceasefire is essential to stop the carnage, but there must also be a resolution towards a two-state solution.
Negotiations with Fatah are futile, as they are not the concerned party in the current conflict. Hamas and Israel must be involved in talks.
Bilal Farook, Abu Dhabi
Know your limits when using credit
I am writing in response to your editorial, Ways to avert debt tragedies (July 18).
The murder-suicide of an Indian family in the UAE has been linked to the use of credit cards.
People must learn to use credit cards judiciously and not exceed their ability to repay.
K Ragavan, US
Expatriates should abide by UAE laws
I refer to Steep rise in Britons arrested in the UAE (July 17), which details bad acts by some expatriates.
People should learn to abide by the rules of the countries they visit.
Tourists are ambassadors representing their country and their acts affect the image of that country.
Good-behaviour rules are the same in all countries: nobody wants to see an undressed drunk man walking down the corniche. If you use drugs or alcohol in public you will always end up behind bars.
Faisal Yaqoob, Pakistan
Although I dislike cretinous expatriates as much as the next chap, the final paragraph of this article states that the number of Britons accused of rape in 2012 was one.
The story noted that behaviour such as “flipping the bird” was common. What is worse – making a rude gesture or rape?
P O’Driscoll, Dubai
