Middle East

The Arabs would not accept this decision and Israel was attacked. The Arab states were defeated. Israel refused to withdraw from territories it had captured unless Arab countries agreed to recognise Israel's right to exist.

To this day, Arab states consider themselves at war with Israel, so until this situation changes, Israel must look after its own interests.

To blame Harry Truman for the existence of Israel as Hugh Pender did (HAS, July 15), completely distorts history.

To suggest that the US will stop the murderous bomb attacks on innocent women and children is nave.

We have the Real IRA in Ireland carrying on with its campaign of murder, no matter what political agreements have been decided.

Similarly, I would suggest the Palestinian extremists would carry on their killing of innocent people no matter what happened in any future agreement with Israel and the Palestinian authorities.

Hatred of Israel is ingrained in some of them in the same way as the Orange Order will never surrender their hatred of Dublin and Roman Catholicism. - Name and address supplied.

I CANNOT allow Mr Pender's misinformed prejudice go unchallenged (HAS, July 15). In 1948 Israel became a state when the world body of the UN voted with a clear majority for it. Eight Arab states invaded it, flaunting a UN resolution.

Who stood by Israel? Not Britain or the UN. But America.

The Americans and the Israelis are not saints, but without the help of the US and, of course, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Israel would have perished. - GA Springer, Hartlepool.

YOUR correspondent (HAS, July 13) suggests that religion has nothing to do with the fanaticism of the proponents. But religion in the Middle East is the cause of a mentality of total subjugation. It is the driving force behind the suicide bombers and the retaliation.

The Second World War was caused by people in this country ignoring what was going on. They allowed themselves the luxury of a pacifist mentality.

The last war teaches us that you cannot ignore people and fanatical organisations who would stop at nothing until they get their way.

Today, the West can't decide how to solve the situation. While it dithers and argues, the terrorist and Muslim extremist is making our lives a misery. When will we ever learn? - John Young, Crook.

THE world's number one super power, America, has the almighty dollar but no NHS (Peter Mullen, Echo, July 16).

Is this not immoral? Countless Americans can't afford to care for their health. This must make the so-called American Dream a bit of a nightmare.

What is more, such is the power of the American doctors' political lobby, there is no chance of an NHS taking root.

America's principal interest in the Middle East is oil. Were there no oil wells in the Middle East, America's interest would diminish. - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

GEORGE Bush has again asserted his intention to attack Iraq hoping to unseat Saddam Hussein.

You don't need to be a military expert to work out it will involve an initial massive bombing campaign which will result in the massacre of many thousands of innocent civilians.

With the country devastated, a land invasion will follow since there is little chance of unseating Saddam Hussein from within.

It seems Tony Blair plans to support the US in this campaign.

The Labour Party, I am pleased to say, is implacably opposed and if Mr Blair persists he may very well face a challenge to his leadership.

The EU will not support the US either, although Turkey, heavily reliant on US aid, will probably allow its air bases to be used.

If the economists are in despair at the huge drop in equities recently it will be as nothing to what will happen if the US embarks on another Middle East adventure to be followed pathetically by Mr Blair.

Let us hope that commonsense prevails and, in time, Iraq will become more democratic, the Palestinians will get their own state despite Israel's objections and the world will become a much safer place.

I do not wish the future of my young grandchildren to be put in jeopardy by Bush and Blair. - H Pender, Darlington.

POLITICS

I AM starting to doubt the sanity of this Government. It is thinking of charging £1 a bag for extra rubbish, so all the rubbish will go over the wall.

Then we are told to cough up £14 for our mail. Then, in effect, we're told it is okay to grow cannabis, it is okay to possess the stuff, but don't buy because the person selling it will get 14 years. Will they get 14 years if they simply sell the seeds or young plants?

We are now told that Afghan asylum seekers are to be sent back if they want to go and then Gordon Brown produces £90bn from the middle of nowhere.

The tragedy about all of this is that the Tories are making no progress at all. - J Wilcox, Middlesbrough.

NORTH/SOUTH

THE outlook for large companies and employment is not promising. The number of firms which are financially weak has doubled over the last four years.

We could do with cheap housing and investment up North. Instead, it is going to the south of England which is overcrowded already.

I think Mr Blair could do more to help the North. He represents the North but spends more time in the South. - N Tate, Darlington.

ASTEROID

THE threat of an asteroid impacting the Earth may have a positive effect on the economy (Echo, July 25). After all, think of how many firms will have to employ extra staff to cope with the increase in demand for toilet rolls. - HE Smith, Spennymoor.