Danny Wakil, Billinudgel
I share the pain of Mr Subhi Awad (letters June 12). Tragically, it is the Palestinian leadership that has let down its own people. There have been multiple offers of peace, first by Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, then by prime minister Ehud Olmert.
First, Palestinian president chairman Yasser Arafat walked away from the table, then Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas did the same. Why? Because they have a Palestinian body politic that venerates suicide bombers, naming schools and public squares for people like Dalal Mughrabi – who was responsible for murdering 37 Israeli civilians – and they have school textbooks that do not include Israel in maps of the Middle East.
There will never be peace until the Palestinian leadership is willing to talk peace with its neighbour. Until that happens, both sides are locked in to this tragic struggle.
Subhi, I am well aware of the 12,000 Arab Palestinians who went against the orders of the grand mufti of Jerusalem and fought with the British in WWII. My grandfather was one of the 30,000 Jewish Palestinians who fought with the British in WWII often alongside their Palestinian brothers. I have his uniform here in Byron. The greater goal of modern-day peace should bring us all together now.
