THERE is misery and conflict throughout the world, but only Israel is lambasted in The Press by a small, vociferous group of correspondents.

When was the last time these people offered any criticism of the Syrian regime or any of the many Middle Eastern countries which trample on human rights?

The Israel/Palestine conflict has no goodies or baddies. We have two peoples given a bad deal by history. The Jews were expelled from their homeland centuries ago and faced discrimination, pogroms and the threat of annihilation. The dream of a return to a Jewish homeland was inevitable.

Unfortunately, another people now lived where their ancestors once lived and it was naive to believe they could live in harmony with neighbours who had a different culture, religion and a belief in an independent Arab entity in the area known as Palestine.

The violence will continue while Israeli extremists hold on to the view they have a God-given right to all of Palestine; and Palestinian extremists hold on to the view they have a God-given right to destroy the Jewish state.

The solution is simple. Two states in Palestine for two peoples and in time, when they see each other as neighbours not enemies, borders will not be that important.

David Lyon, Kingfisher Close, Huntington, York.