My letter to the Guardian RE Why this obsession with Israel and the Palestinians?

RE: Robert Fowke: Why this obsession with Israel and the Palestinians? I'm not alone in my disproportionate interest in Israel – but why do so many of us pick away at this conflict like it's a giant scab? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/22/obsession-israel-palestinians-conflict

Dear Sir,

I very much appreciated Robert Fowke's "Why this obsession with Israel and the Palestinians? I'm not alone in my disproportionate interest in Israel – but why do so many of us pick away at this conflict like it's a giant scab?"

What Fowke says rings true for me too, although I wish he had also glanced at Islamists as I very much believe that Israel is not the only party we need to be VERY wary of.... Israel uses deceit and propaganda campaigns to gain popular support- and Islamists do too.

I totally agree with Fowke's conclusion that this relatively small conflict has the potential to destroy on a colossal scale. However I also believe that worldwide our growing awareness of Israel's ongoing crimes against the people of historic Palestine has the potential to help shape a just and lasting negotiated peace to stop state sponsored terror as well as rising religious extremism now before there is nothing left of Israel or Palestine to salvage: For everyone's sake, we need to be calmly and compassionately advocating a fully secular two state solution that will rein in Israel AND Islamic militancy.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Peacemaking takes courage, leaders

Israel must clarify Palestine's status

The Arab Peace Initiative

MIDDLE EAST: Palestinian refugee factbox/timeline

Unclench your fist... Live by the Golden Rule

Growing Gardens for Palestine

Refugees, Borders & Jerusalem

Freedom to me is ... (a poem)