Madam, - The tragedy in Lebanon and the slaughter of many innocent children is not simply because of the kidnapping of two soldiers on the Lebanese border; or of one soldier in Gaza; or indeed because of several hundred terrorists and Arab civilians in Israeli prisons. It is all related to the illegal occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories in contravention of the UN Security Council resolution and Israeli's seizure of part of the sovereign territory of Syria. Whether it be a UN, EU, Nato or even an Israeli force in southern Lebanon it will not guarantee peace but merely be a short-term solution leading to further terrorist attacks against that force.
The US, and now sadly the UK, are increasingly detested by the world's one billion Muslims as they are seen to be supporting the use of excessive force by Israel. There must be an overall solution which will guarantee the security and sovereignty of Israel and bring about the withdrawal of Israel from the Golan Heights and the West Bank. This would restore US and UK credibility in the Islamic world.
Without such an overall settlement terrorism will continue in the many nations both in the Middle East and elsewhere where there are large Islamic communities. - Yours, etc,
LORD KILCLOONEY, House of Lords, Westminster, London.
Madam, - Your Editorial of July 26th calls for engagement with Hizbullah. Military action is indeed a risky and dangerous policy, but negotiation with Hizbullah and Iran is no more likely to bring peace and security than did negotiation with Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
A defeated Israel and nuclear Iran equal global catastophe. Israel has no option but to recognise that and act accordingly. America is waking up and so are the increasingly alarmed Arab governments. It is about time that Europe woke up too. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL METLISS, Eton Villas, London NW3.