Sir: You say in your editorial 'Victory — or settlement
'(October 13) that it is unreasonable to criticise their (Egypt and Syria's) aggression since all they seek is the recovery of some of their territories seized by Israel...."
If no other option had been offered to Syria and Egypt then it might be unreasonable to criticise them. However, as Israel has been offering to negotiate with them for the past twenty-five years, that is before they had ever lost that territory, it is cer • tainly highly reasonable. ;Had they negotiated in 1948 there would never. have been a refugee problem, arid Sinai' and Golan would never have been lost.1 The reason they will not negotiate is they quite clearly feel that the very act of negotiating would imply automatic recognition of Israel's right of existence.
Somehow it has got to be got through to the Arabs that the existence of Israel is not shameful.
In traditional Arab society there was a system of ending a tribal blood feud' called sulha. Perhaps a means ofl arranging an international sulha could be found?
David M. Jacobs
22a Thurloe Street, London SW7
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