24 MARCH 1973, Page 28

Israel and the Arabs

Sir: Israeli leaders have from the very beginning of the conflict, back in 1948, offered the Arabs peace negotiations. This offer still stands. It is in the light of this fact that one must view the Rev Tony Crowe's claim (Letters, March 1') that General Dayan contradicted himself in one speech on February 16 by saying that " peace was Israel's primary objective" and in the other that it was not.

It is ,now quite clear that General Dayan called for peace on both occasions, and that it was a mistake of the Agence France Presse news agency. This fact is clear not only from Le Monde of February 25, but of La Croix (February 27) and Valuers Actuelles (March 5).

By trying to make the Arabs believe that Israel does not want peace, the Rev Crowe is only encouraging them not to make peace, thus injuring the very people he is trying to help.

David M. Jacobs 22 Thurloe Street, London 5W7