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Dear Sir,
So the “cat is finally out of the bag!” As shown at the party conference of Likud, the majority party of the present right-wing colaition government led by Prime Minister Sharon, last Sunday, at a vote held, it was in favour of not recognising a Palestinian State.

Whatever Sharon says, his party has shown its true colours, if only presented by the previous Premier Natanyahu, but what alternative can Sharon, a military man at his roots, offer?

That there will be more conflict, bombings etc. is inevitable, and what will the rest of the world do? Will the U.S.A. use whatever clout they have to even force the parties together to find peace, or will they remain the “poodle” of Israel? Will the United Nations, when their motions are ignored by Israel, suspend tham from the UN, with the threat of further, full expulsion?

Will the UN insist on a peace keeping/peace making force to be put in place? And what of the European Union? As the major trading partner of Israel, will they put in place a trade embargo? Will anyone do anything before this conflict leads to more lives being lost on both sides of this unnecessarily long and bitter issue? It's time to “knock some heads together,” and it's up to the USA and Europe.

Yours sincerely

Graham Phillips

“There's no nut like a religious nut!”

When I was at the BBC working as a religious programmes producer, I used to have a colleague whose favourite phrase was “There's no nut like a religious nut!” So whenever things were going pear shaped and either clergy, organist or congregation were being awkward about something or other out would come those immortal words and we'd all smirk and nod in agreement.

There's no nut like a religious nut - whether it's the bizarre mass suicide of a religious cult in America or that frightening fundamentalist, exclusive approach that has caused the spawning of so many splinter groups in Christianity and other world faiths. “I'm right and you lot are all wrong!” Yet research after research does seem to show that there's as much interest as ever in religious and spiritual matters. But like many things there's a boredom, tiredness and disillusionment with the institutions. It's true not only for religion but political parties, uniformed organisations and the establishment generally.

Father Robert Ellis