02-08-2025
The situation in Gaza is dire – but Starmer should be clear about who is to blame
SIR – The situation in Gaza is awful and has been for some time. However, there are two sides in this war – Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, which, let's not forget, started this conflict with its brutal attack on Israel and the taking of 251 hostages.
The Israeli response to Hamas has been devastating and the innocent people of Gaza are suffering. However, if Hamas truly cares about those in Gaza and wants to end this suffering, it should release all the remaining hostages and stop using hospitals, public buildings and aid centres for military purposes, thus risking them being hit as military targets.
Rather than unilaterally recognising a Palestinian state (report, July 29), if Western leaders want an end to this conflict, they must make demands of Hamas, along with Israel – or else it won't happen.
Alan Carter
Newcastle upon Tyne
SIR – Why is it that not one country that wants to recognise a Palestinian state has made it a precondition that the Palestinian Authority drop its 'pay to slay' policy?
The so-called Martyrs Fund means that, every month, the Palestinian Authority gives money to Palestinian terrorists who are in Israeli prisons, for attacking Israelis. It also gives money to the families of Palestinians killed or injured during the course of attacking Israel – money which for decades was paid on the basis that, the more serious the attack or the longer the prison sentence, the higher the payment would be.
Lynton Stock
London NW7
SIR – We have two very different ongoing situations in the region. One is in Gaza and one is in the West Bank.
While most are concentrating on Gaza, Israeli settlers are illegally taking over land in the West Bank and building settlements there. This crime gets very little coverage, but it matters: where else could a Palestinian state be set up but on the West Bank?
Before that is possible, Israel has to stop the settler activities there. This is what our Prime Minister should be concentrating his efforts on.
Herbert Chappell
Woking, Surrey
SIR – Puntland in north-east Somalia has a government, a constitution, established borders and effective state institutions.
Despite years of wrangling, it is still not recognised internationally as a state. Yet the British Government is planning to recognise a state called 'Palestine', which has none of these things except a name. For an administration full of international lawyers, this is strange indeed.
Jolyon Grey
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
SIR – As countries seem to be queuing up to recognise a Palestinian state (report, August 1) it might be timely to remind certain politicians that some 25 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Algeria, Iran, and Venezuela, do not actually recognise the state of Israel.
Strange, that, since Israel does exist and, as it stands, Palestine's claim to statehood is ephemeral.
Dr Gerald Edwards
Glasgow
