Propaganda won't end crisis

re. No 'land grab' by Israelis, Letter Oct. 27

Letter writer Meir Abelson's attempts to rewrite history aside, the entire state of Israel is founded on a "land grab". The land now called Israel was occupied almost exclusively by Arabs following the expulsion of Jews almost two millennia ago. The decision to divide Palestine was made against the objections of the government of Palestine and the governments of the neighbouring states.

The legal boundaries of Israel were defined by the 1949 armistice agreement. Later agreements ceded the West Bank and Gaza to a new state of Palestine under the Palestinian Authority. However, these areas were occupied by Israel during the 1967 war and they have never withdrawn from the West Bank. While Israel has formally withdrawn from Gaza, in reality they continue to blockade and launch military incursions into the region.

Since the 1967 war, Israel has been moving settlers into the West Bank in violation of international law. Moreover, the apartheid wall they built through the West Bank has been declared illegal by the Supreme Court of Israel and the International Court of Justice.

Abelson's efforts notwithstanding, the middle-East situation will not be resolved by partisan propaganda. It will take the best efforts of peacemakers throughout the world to end this senseless conflict and bring about a lasting peace to a region that has seen far too many wars.

Gary Dale