On Israel and Syria

Gary Woodman writes: Re. “A big difference between Israel and Syria” (Thursday). Plenty of people can distinguish between the peaceful observance of the Jewish faith, and the appalling policies of successive Israeli governments. Clearly, Matthew Goode is not among them; his immediate use of the a-word is evidence enough.

The tedium of the World Cup

Sean Hosking writes: Re. “I despise the World Cup, and I’m not ashamed to say it” (Wednesday). Yes, soccer is as absurd as Irish folk dancing, as dramatically compelling as a bad soap opera, and as administratively corrupt as the civil service of a Third World military junta. However, first and foremost, soccer is 90 minutes of watching 22 people desperately try and do something that for the majority of the time they cannot do.  This, to those watching, naturally induces frustration, anger, mental  disintegration and the letting off of flares.