IS nothing sacred? Nicholas Hall even has to politicise Mother's Day in yet a further attempt to twist facts when considering the Palestine-Israel conflict (Letters, March 24).
The Arab refugee problem came about after between 500,000 and 750,000 Palestinian Arabs were displaced as a result of the 1948 war when the new-born Jewish state was attacked by surrounding Arab states bent on its destruction.
This was contrary to the UN partition plan and international law against aggression. Israel had every right to defend itself.
During the course of the war, Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled by Israeli forces.
The war ended through armistice agreements between Israel and her Arab enemies. The borders in place at the time of the armistice agreements were not set in stone.
The Palestinian Arab population now stands at some 4.5 million. Israel's own population is made up of some six million Jewish residents and one million Arab residents. A large influx of Palestinian refugees would result in the Jewish state ceasing to exist. An idea that obviously appeals to Israel's enemies.
When the time comes that the Arab world and Palestinian leaders agree that a Palestinian state is more important than the destruction of the Jewish state, then we may be able to move forward in resolving the conflict.
David Lyon,
Kingfisher Close,
York.
Updated: 09:03 Saturday, April 01, 2006
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