Sir,

It is a wretched symptom of the depths that the Israel Palestine dispute has now plumbed that the Sunday Telegraph can give over its main feature to an incitement to murder. (Stephen Pollard, Sunday Telegraph 14 Sep 2003) Killing your opponents without due process of law is murder. Israel's policy of assassinating her opponents is not only illegal under international law, but also a profoundly stupid way of seeking to promote her security.

Hamas's Islamic covenant reads in the same chilling and intolerant way as a Sinn Fein oath. But Stephen Pollard would do better to examine why movements with such repellent liturgy at their core have gained support from large numbers of ordinary people who wouldn't dream of behaving as the zealots propose in their covenants or oaths.

In Israel and the occupied territories despair and hatred make mighty recruiting sergeants for Hamas. Every action that Israel takes with walls, bulldozers and deliberate assassination by tank, helicopter gunship, F16 and booby-trapped phone boxes, cars and mobile phones deepens the hatred and despair, as do the tragic consequences of frightened conscripts shooting first and asking questions later in policing an occupied people with a casual disregard for their suffering and dignity.

Yet even now Hamas remains a minority party in Palestinian politics. Even in current circumstances a majority of Palestinians reject their intolerance. Moderate Palestinian leaders need support with the antidotes to hatred and despair. Murder is not a way to promote love and hope.

Yours faithfully,

Crispin Blunt MP
Secretary Conservative Middle East Council
House of Commons