Gareth Smith has more outlandish claims in his letter to The Echo last week (28 May).
He has had all but a free pass in all of these years to say what he wants, and it is known that hardly anyone will ever fact-check him.
If any intimidation towards anti-Israel protesters has indeed taken place, I am against it, but what is very clear is that the pro-Israel and pro-peace community has suffered an immeasurable torrent of ongoing attacks from children being harassed in schools, relentless graffiti attacks all over the shire, people being confronted and abused in the streets in broad daylight, the quiet boycotting of local businesses and so on, and so forth.
It is a fact that Israel WAS forced to attack Hamas in Gaza after the incredibly successful deception by Hamas, conducted over the two prior years: that they were not seeking war with Israel – only to launch the hugely successful surprise attack on Israel on 7 October.
Palestinians are sick of Hamas and are protesting in the streets of Gaza against them as we speak. Be pro-Palestinian and support the right of good Palestinians to get rid of the Hamas death cult.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
