Dear Sir/Madam,

The article “Arab Media Portray War as Killing Field” in today’s NYT makes very depressing reading; added to which is the veracity of Arab perceptions of United States policy being “tilted sharply in favor of Israel”. Understandably, in my view, since the West is culturally and politically much closer to Israeli than to Arab society. There is no point – but a lot of harm done to our credibility – in denying it.

The only solution, one which is imperative and fundamental to our own self-interests, is – after the war is won - to win the battle for Iraqi hearts and minds, which in turn and in time (perhaps over decades) will win over the hearts and minds of most other Arabs, including Palestinians. This has to include a just and broadly acceptable settlement of the conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

We have the right and a duty – to ourselves – to insist that Israel makes the necessary compromises, for which we should commit ourselves absolutely to Israel’s defence.