Madam, - Reading Seán Gannon's description of Israel's efforts to bolster Mahmoud Abbas's position, I thought of the phrase: "With friends like this who needs enemies?"
Insofar as "concessions on settlements" are concerned, last week Israel announced that it had invited bids to build over 300 new homes in Har Homa, an illegal Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. Continued settlement construction goes hand in hand with the 5.8 per cent annual growth in the number of Israeli settlers living in the West Bank.
Then there is the matter of "prisoner releases". Although Israel has released more than 700 Palestinian prisoners since July, an average of 112 Palestinians are arrested each week by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Indeed, more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners remain in Israeli jails, including 331 children.
Lastly, the "transfer of $250 million in tax revenues" is a fraction of the estimated $770 million in Palestinian clearance revenues that Israel unlawfully refused to transfer in 2006.
Unfortunately, while Ehud Olmert may speak of "the path of peace", Israeli actions speak louder than words. - Yours, etc,
FRANK WALL, Newpark Lawn, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny.