"And if I were you, GUEST MD, I'd be careful about coming out with those kind of remarks suggesting that the occupied territories and the people living there are unwanted rubbish, when you aren't safe behind an anonymous computer, because you could get your beer thrown in your face."

McGrath of Harlow,

My remarks suggested nothing of the sort. They pointed out a basic truth that many people seem to forget or ignore, namely that first Egypt, and then Jordan, washed their hands of the Palestinians when they each made peace with Israel.

From 1948 until 1967, they could have created a Palestinian state in the West Bank and/or Gaza, and there would have been nothing Israel could have done about it. However, until well after their sneak attack against Israel on Yom Kippur 1973, the Egyptians, Jordanians, and other Arab countries kept telling the Palestinians that they'd drive the Jews into the sea and give them all of Israel.

When Anwar Sadat, and later King Hussein, realized that they could not destroy Israel militarily, they made peace and washed their hands of the Palestinians. That sir, is historical truth.

Personally, I hope that an Israeli-Palestinian peace comes very soon. As soon as the Palestinians renounce terrorism, and rein in the perpetrators, Israel will have no choice but to make peace, including the dismantling and withdrawl of their settlements, with the Palestinians.

I repeat, I made no suggestions about any people being "rubbish." I look forward to the day when the extremeists will allow us a peaceful coexistence.

MD