Palestinians – 75 years since the Nakba

Sir, – Further to “UN marks the 75th anniversary of Palestinians’ mass displacement” (World, May 15th), as Palestinians commemorate 75 years since the Nakba, they will reflect bitterly on the lack progress in the intervening years to resolve the issue of a Palestinian homeland. They will look back on countless UN resolutions, the backing of millions worldwide, but ultimately the inability of the international community, and in particular the US and EU, to hold all nation states equally accountable to international law.

With a new ultra-nationalist government in place in Israel, the prospects for a negotiated settlement of the preferred two-state solution is far off.

In the meantime, Palestinians will continue to be subjected to the injustice of occupation, the ignominy of seeing Israeli settlers illegally prospering on their land, and watching western governments proffering their sympathies yet standing by while centuries-old Palestinian olive groves are ploughed into the earth.

Normal politics cannot survive in these extremes, as we know all too well from our own history. Only when two sides set aside their bitterness and engage as equals can a lasting solution be possible. After 75 years, it is well past due that the Palestinian people are allowed the freedom to negotiate their future as equals and not with the burden of untenable preconditions laid down by their occupier. – Yours, etc,