EUGENE Parte (July 7) encourages me to "do my research" regarding the events which led to the six-day war of 1967 in the Middle East. In the same piece he admits that my letter contained all the "orthodox facts" relating to the same. So much so he was unable to counter any of the facts relating to the threat Israel faced at the end of May 1967. Not a single one. Instead he relies on retrospective commentary. I do not.
Mr Parte claims that Israel's intentions were purely expansionist. He is entitled to his opinion but only if it is substantiated by truth. Which it is not. Israel fought a defensive war and did not want to be occupiers of a hostile population. So much so that Israel offered unconditional peace talks with the United Arab command, hardly the actions of an expansionist state.
What was the Arab response?
The combined Arab nations met in Khartoum and after the minimum amount of deliberation replied with the infamous three nos - no negotiations with Israel; no recognition of Israel; indeed no peace with Israel.
It took another war in 1973 ,in which the forces of Syria and Egypt attacked Israel before peace with Egypt was signed at Camp David in 1977. And guess what? This so-called expansionist state of Israel evacuated the Sinai Peninsula and returned it to Egypt. Israel uprooted Jewish settled villages and left because it had signed a peace agreement with Egypt. This is what it takes to move forward - dialogue.
Unfortunately there has not been a Anwar Saddat (Egyptian president who made peace with Israel) emerge in either Syria or the Palestinian territories. Instead they seek for the destruction of the only liberal democracy in the region, Israel.
Until the Palestinian 'leadership' steps up to the mark and seriously has talks with Israel we are destined for more of the same.
ANDREW J SHAW
Belfast BT10
