We’re too close to a world war
■ Hamas is vile but seeing Palestinians dying in their thousands while Netanyahu is refusing to consider a two-state solution is depressing and unacceptable.
The UK can do nothing to solve this situation in the Middle East yet we are slowly being drawn into another world war as Iranianbacked Houthis fire on international ships, Iranian-backed Hamas keeps killing Israelis and Putin ploughs on in Ukraine.
This is all happening while our hapless Tory government spends all of their time and our money arguing with each other and trying to send a handful of migrants arriving in boats to Rwanda. We were a great country once upon a time, not any longer it seems.
Terry Marriott Waterlooville, Hants
■ It’s incredible that politicians are saying they don’t want to escalate things in the Middle East while at the same time doing exactly that by attacking targets in Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Every military intervention the West makes in the Islamic world just makes things worse. The quickest way of reducing tensions is to put enough pressure on Israel to halt their attacks on Gaza. The USA’s military presence in Iraq and Syria is unwanted and should be withdrawn. Whatever happens, unless the Palestinians get an independent state of their own, the violence will only continue.
Brett Grainger Rugeley, Staffs
■ How on earth does America, and now the UK,
think the many strikes on Iranbacked rebels will help stop further atrocities in the Middle East?
We all know the troubles started when Hamas attacked Israel killing more than 1,000 people, but how can it be right for the Israelis to keep killing thousands of innocents in Gaza as revenge?
I can’t understand why we aren’t begging all sides for a ceasefire. There is so much unrest in the world I fear for our future and a third world war. It has to stop.
Helen Rawles Blandford Forum, Dorset
■ Tens of thousands around the world are marching in protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying they don’t support Hamas but want to save Palestinian lives.
Instead wouldn’t it be better to call for Hamas to withdraw from Gaza and hand over the hostages left in exchange for Israeli forces agreeing to cease bombardment of the civilian population?
Steve Vince, Neyland, Pembs
■ The deaths and destruction of the two world wars was appalling yet it seems the lessons have been
wilfully ignored. The philosophy of an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Conflict driven by revenge has always brought destruction and massive loss of life to innocents caught up in modernday warfare. Now another destructive episode threatens humanity. When will we ever learn?
John White
North Wingfield, Derbys
■ Surely there are not enough maniacs in the US to put megalomaniac Trump back in power.
His election would be a disaster in the war-torn world we find ourselves in. It will take only the smallest of sparks to drag us into a war in the Middle East and he is just the guy to do it.
Roger Grant Thurnscoe, South Yorks
As war rages in the Middle East and Ukraine, I fear we may already have seen the start of the Third World War. And with continuing strikes against Houthi rebel targets we are slowly but surely being dragged into it. Let’s hope cool heads and diplomacy prevail.