Sir: It is to be hoped that the new independent
attitude adopted by the Egyptian government will lead to the realisation that, after all, Israel would be more useful as an ally than as a political scapegoat. The State of Israel contains a large Arab minority, directly re presented in parliament and in the Hebrew university, that co-operates freely within a regime which allows both free speech and freedom of religious denomination. Arabic is now compulsory as a second language throughout Israel, and after twenty years, Jew and Arab have shown that they can live together in peace — in the land that is holy to them both. The stumbling block is the 'Arab League' which, by its hostile propaganda and aggressive actions, continues to disturb and to vitiate this civilised dual relationship in Israel today. The basic elements for further and even more rewarding co-operation exist already, and need only to be energised and conciliated to nullify the activities of the agents of political opportunism. For the fact is that Israel is not a menace but an asset to the way of life of the surrounding Arab countries, and to Egypt itself, by reason of its highly cultivated skills in education, science, medicine, and engineering.
Meanwhile a state that is kept continually on the defensive against hostile propaganda and subversive warfare will naturally become increasingly self-assertive: for no state will surrender its statehood voluntarily. It should be remembered that the State of Israel was established in 1947 by a resolution of the general assembly of the United Nations; which by the division of Palestine accorded to the Jewish inhabitants a tiny corner of the vast Arabian con. tinent, to which the Jewish people had a long historic title.
The Arab people, after all, already possess two holy cities — Mecca and Medina — it seems unreasonable therefore, in the light of the evidence of history, to begrudge Jerusalem to the Jews. F. E. Isaac 124 Lexham Gardens, London W8
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