I AM deeply disturbed by the recent reporting through the national media on the changing situation within the Israeli government.

Settlers are paid in order to set up homes in occupied territories in Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They are given houses rent free for 40 years and receive £12,000 to live there per year.

Quite simply, they have no right to settle in Gaza or the West Bank, but the Israeli government is increasing its settlements and driving more and more Palestinians out of their homes through demolition programmes to allow for more settlements, driving Palestinians into deeper poverty and greater desperation.

This is nothing short of ethnic cleansing by the Israeli government and the international community needs to take action to put an end to this barbarity.

W Geoghegan,

Bishopthorpe Road, York.

Updated: 11:44 Tuesday, November 12, 2002