Ralph Leavis asks me (Wednesday’s ViewPoints) why I support Palestinians and I will answer.

But to even suggest what the Nazis did regards the Holocaust, one of mankind’s worst-ever atrocities, and imply that is in any way related to the current political map in Israel, is stupid.

I’m confident by now most readers will understand that Israelis have a state, Palestinians don’t, despite the fact Israel exists completely on Arab lands.

It happens to be the Arab people who are being “driven into the sea” and arrested, beaten and killed in large numbers.

That would seem more like a Nazi policy than a Palestinian one, even if they wanted to destroy Israel and they do not.

Even the radical Hamas government wants peace based on a two-state solution. And if Palestinians wanted to push Israel into the sea, could Mr Leavis tell me how they might do that?

Israel has the backing of the US, has a huge military and is the only Middle East country with nuclear weapons.

The problems regards this area are huge and complex but I say what I’ve said before in these pages, Israel will ultimately be safer if and when it decides to live in peace with all its neighbours.

The reason I support a Palestinian state is that they are human beings, just like Israelis, who have feelings, rights and a basic right to freedom.

Their cause is barely helped by distortion and an utterly ridiculous comparison.

TIM SIRET Millmoor Crescent Eynsham