Your views

I am quite sure Ray Fleming used his book review of “ A line in the Sand” (MDB July 26h) to interpolate his own extreme pro-Arab views.
No author in possession of the facts would suggest that Britain, whilst a signatory to the San Remo Agreement of 1920 as well as its document of trusteeship signed in 1922, had overlooked its commitments to safeguard the rights of the indigenous Arabs living in the area.

Indeed that is all Britain did.
Under the terms of the trusteeship, Britain was required to assist the Jewish people return to their biblical homeland and establish a full government over all of Palestine on both the East and West Banks of the Jordan, whilst at the same time respecting the rights of the local Arabs.

Britain did no such thing. They protected the Arabs alright, but instead of encouraging Jewish immigration as they were legally required to do, did the opposite. After the 1939 - 45 Great War, tens of thousands of Jewish dispossessed, ex-Nazi concentration camp victims, rather than being assisted back to the Land of Their Fathers, were instead stopped and arrested by the Royal Navy and placed in purpose-built concentration camps on the island of Cyprus. Some were actually returned to Auswitch! Who can forget Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin's chilling reply when tackled on this monstrous disregard for law and humanity: “It's a pity we didn't let Hitler finish them off before winning the War!” This situation was described accurately and graphically by Leon Uris in his book (and movie) “Exodus”.
It is beyond question that Britain's blundering disregard for international agreements to which they were a signatory, is the cause of all the problems in the area now.

Sincerely, David Lee