5 JULY 1946, Page 12

Sin,—The article by an airborne officer greatly interests me, and

after three years' service in Palestine I am bound to agree with most of the writer's conclusions. Many of us who served in that land came to regard more charitably our ancient predecessors, the soldiers of the Roman legions, since we could to some extent appreciate their difficulties. Nevertheless, one feels that it would be unfair to very many decent people

whom one knew during those years if some mention were not made of their friendly and helpful attitude- to many of us. Some of them we met in the Jewish service clubs of Tel Aviv and Haifa where, particularly in the latter place, they did not spare themselves in their% efforts to entertain and amuse us in a variety of ways. Some of us much preferred these clubs to certain others run by " English ladies " who had an unhappy way of reminding some of us that we were not commissioned. And many, too, will not so9n forget the ready hospitality we enjoyed in Jewish colonies throughout the country.

There is, I feel, an extenuating factor which is frequently overlooked. We who have been brought up in a country with a predominantly Christian tradition are inclined to judge others by the same high standards. Palestinian Jewry is not only non-Christian, but is to a great extent strongly anti-Christian. AM not only so; but it has abandoned as impracticable, to a great extent, the religion of orthodox Judaism, and is left with little but a barren and bitter nationalism aggravated by unprecedented suffering. This should, I think, temper our condemnation of its present attitude, and help us to regard with Christian charity the race which has, in the inscrutable wisdom of God, been the chosen vehicle of the divine revelation.—I am, yours faithfully,