Sir, – Ambassador Ajjuri writes that it is an “immoral act” for Israel to withhold some €70 million in revenues to the Palestinian Authority (December 6th). He does not say, however, that the Palestinian Authority owes the Israeli Electricity Company alone some €140 million. Therefore, considering the Authority’s unilateral decision to seek Observer State status at the UN last week while continuing to refuse to negotiate with Israel, it is only fair and, above all I think, proportionate, for Israel to start to recoup some of the massive debts it is owed by the Palestinian Authority.
The Israeli taxpayer should not have to continue paying for the debts of the Palestinian Authority, especially considering the behaviour of the Authority: it denounces Israel at home and abroad, denies Israel legitimacy, its media and educational system incites and encourages anti-semitism, it pursues unilateral grandstanding instead of negotiation, all the while feeding off Israeli largesse which it abuses, biting the hand that feeds it.
Israel wants peace! If the Palestinians wish to have their own state living in peace with Israel, they know exactly what they have to do – come to the negotiating table. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – SW Gannon (December 7th) fears that Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank (which is not part of Israel) will leave Israel “bisected”, since at one point it will be only 15km across. He will be relieved to know that the Republic of Ireland has survived bisection quite well since 1922, with only seven kilometres between Bundoran and the Border of the Six Counties. – Is mise,