PETE Winstanley asks is it really necessary for him to put pen to paper and condemn ISIS for the atrocities in Iraq as everyone shares his disgust and outrage at such obscene barbarism anyway (HAS, Aug 15).

He may have a point, but by that token one could ask why he repetitively puts pen to paper to criticise Israel in the Gaza crisis when he has made his views known on many occasions already.

Mr Winstanley then accuses me of trying to deflect the crimes of Israel and, in a typical rant, he castigates the West, and especially the US, for giving aid to Israel for defence purposes.

Will he not condemn Hamas for the misappropriation of foreign aid by buying weapons with money that should be spent on the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people?

Does Mr Winstanley not appreciate that protection from rocket attacks is very expensive, or would he like the protective fence that separates Israel from Gaza pulled down?

Incidentally,I have asked Mr Winstanley on many occasions that, given the overwhelming evidence Hamas use Palestinian women and children as human shields in the Gaza crisis, would he join me and condemn this barbaric and despicable policy?

Is there a reason he doesn’t answer this question or for some reason does he just keep forgetting?

Kev McStravick, Darlington.