Madam, - Full marks to Chris Patten for his article about the West's boycott of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority (Opinion & Analysis, March 15th).
The attitude of Israel and the US towards the democratically elected Palestinian Authority does not surprise me a jot. What does disturb me is the hypocrisy and cravenness shown by the EU by taking part in this harsh act of collective punishment.
We in "The West" have repeatedly admonished Middle Eastern countries for their lack of democracy, yet when Middle Eastern electors make a democratic choice that does not suit us, our instinct seems to be to bully and browbeat them into conformity.
Can we at least ask that our own Government makes clear its attitude to this reprehensible policy which is being pursued in our name? - Yours, etc,
RICHARD BARRETT, The Turrets, Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.
Madam, - Chris Patten would have us believe that Hamas was formed as a peaceful movement "focused on politics and welfare" until it was "radicalised and turned to terror. . . in response to the occupation of Palestine".
If this is the case, perhaps he can explain why its 1988 covenant (charter) states explicitly that "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it" (preamble); and: "initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement." (Article 13.) - Yours, etc,
DAVID M ABRAHAMSON, Glenageary, Co Dublin.