I note that USA President Obama has been talking to the leader of Israel (Netanyahu) regarding the 1967 borders and asking whether there is room for negotiation with respect to moving toward a peaceful settlement in the region. Israel, apparently, does not want to budge and is implying that the USA is “illusionary.”

Questions about legality and morality of Israel's present borders and settlements keep popping up. If we look at world geography and put it into the context of history we must realize that the borders of most countries are mostly the end results of past conflicts and have been left in a static state for many years. In short, somebody won and somebody lost. Any discussion of either of these could be considered irrelevant.

The 1967 war between Egypt and Israel had its consequences. Land was annexed and there the situation rests. Some argue that perhaps the Jewish people of post WW2 should not have been assisted to return to the Middle East. However it happened; so, I guess, we should possibly live with the outcome and not indulge in pointless discussions of morality and legality. Whatever, the USA and most of the western world want regional stability and they want the resources of the region to continue to flow (so to speak!).

Most of us would prefer that there were no necessity for any heated discussion about the need for either a Palestinian or an Israeli State but it is difficult to turn back the pages of history. The two groups are there and they will both strive for their perceived rights, albeit sometimes violently and dangerously.

Of course, I have my ‘druthers’ but I should keep them to myself for fear of offending!

I sincerely hope that the consequences of it all will be benign.