18 DECEMBER 1971, Page 18

Middle East crisis

Wick Crest, Devizes, Wiltshire Sir: " Pride burns fiercely in this thrice humiliated people and they will not lie down." So writes Martin Short in 'Assassination in Cairo' (December 4) of the Egyptians.

The fact is that the Egyptians were thrice humiliated as a result of their attempts to destroy the national rights of another people. If they had accepted the United Nations partition plan of November 1947 in the first place, instead of trying to overthrow it by force, there would have been no war and no humiliation.

Mr Short says that President Sadat feels that he has considered " every peace plan." His feelings are certainly odd, because he has failed to consider the one way of making peace which has been employed in all other cases, namely sitting down with his opponent face to face to thrash out mutual differences.

As Israel has stated on many occasions her willingness to withdraw, this should not be too difficult. This is in fact the only way he can get Sinai back, If he tries to get it back by force he will merely be humiliated a fourth time.

David M. Jacobs 22A Thurloe Street, London SW7