Cont...

In the main it took Jewish folk to force me to see differently, not just the likes of Joe Halper and Noam Chomsky but also individuals with whom I have person friendships, even a couple who know Mr Singer.

They like me mourn for an Israel that might have been and see little hope at the moment of it changing its course and salvaging “the prestige of Israel as a democratic member of the international community”.

Just last week I had a long conversation with a Israeli lass who was telling me of the inequities in her country. I was informed there are half a dozen Jewish families who run Israel at the moment with endemic corruption and nepotism causing rampant disaffection among the ordinary folk.

I took her words with a grain of salt but the two self-immolations by Israelis recently has leant credence to her words.

However if I were to take issue with any of your list it would be the fifth point especially where the illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank are concerned. The likes of Mr Singer would like to have the waters muddied, but simplicity and clarity often go hand in hand. The are illegal by any measure save a recalcitrant judge and are an absolute obstacle to peace.

To csteele

In the spirit of your statement - "simplicity and clarity often go hand in hand" - could you please answer the following eight questions I have posed to you on at least ten occasions:

1. "Do you know the term "Palestinians" does not include Jews,non-Arab Christians and any other secular non- Arab citizens?

2. If you do - how can you object to my use of the term "Palestinian Arabs" to clarify and identify who the "Palestinians" are?"

3. Do you consider the following article 20 of the PLO Charter to be racist?

"The Balfour Declaration, the Mandate for Palestine, and everything that has been based upon them, are deemed null and void. Claims of historical or religious ties of Jews with Palestine are incompatible with the facts of history and the true conception of what constitutes statehood. Judaism, being a religion, is not an independent nationality. Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own; they are citizens of the states to which they belong."

4. What is the area that is controlled by the PLO or Hamas or the Palestinian Authority that "harbours" 500000 Jews and what rights have been conferred on those 500000 Jews by the Palestinian Arabs?

5. What is the area of the State of Palestine?

6. Who is the current Prime Minister of Palestine?

7. What is the capitol of Palestine?

8. If there is a state of Palestine - why are the Palestinian Arabs still claiming to be stateless and homeless?"