I WONDER why Zionists and apologists for the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine always resort to historical distortion and untruths.

In 1943, the British coalition government, attempting to implement the Balfour Declaration peacefully, offered European Jews a tract of fertile land in Uganda as their new homeland. This offer was rejected and, in 1947, began the Zionist occupation of the League of Nations mandated territory of Palestine.

To our eternal shame, Great Britain, the mandated power, allowed this to happen. The occupation was accomplished with the assistance of the greatest terrorist campaign in history.

Since then, the non-aggressive Israelis have occupied Sinai (Egyptian), the West Bank (Jordanian), the Golan Heights (Syrian), and South Lebanon. Four million Palestinians have been driven from their homeland and, under hard-liner Sharon, the Israelis are now "peacefully" colonising the remaining Palestinian enclaves.

This massive injustice has been achieved through the patronage of the USA, hence the animosity of the Arab states and Islam in general towards America.

Zionists and Israelis should realise that if they have a future in Asia Minor at all it lies in coming to terms with the Arab peoples.

JACK SHAW