If the bishops have such a concern about the Palestinians, surely the first things to do is to go to Gaza to mediate with Hamas and find out for themselves whether any meaningful negotiation is a possiblity before advising others to do likewise.

It is too easy to be judgmental from the comfort of England to offer solutions on matters which are complex and apparently intractable. Indeed, if the bishops are following Christ, they wouldn't have pointed to what they see as a beam in Israel's eye without asking themselves "what am I doing personally to sort out this mess?" which surely goes beyond writing letters to the Times. Perhaps they might report back on this?

Peter Hollander, Canterbury,

This is not what we expect from a group of distinguished Right-Revs. It sounds like a hodgepodge of babble from a group of holier-than-thou individuals who have no idea what they are talking about.

The Hamas founding charter clearly states that their intention is the total destruction of Israel by “throwing the Jews into the sea”. Do the writers of this absurd letter really expect this radical Islamic organization to condemn the suicide bombers that they themselves send to blow up Jewish schools and seminaries?

The ridiculous attempt to find some type of balance between the Hamas terrorists and Israel is astounding.

With all due respect to the Right-Revs, these gentlemen really need to understand that sometime a spade needs to be called a spade. This conflict will not end until both sides are willing to live in peace with each other. So far, only one of the two sides is willing to do this. The Right-Revs should be able to figure out which side that is.

Ehad Ha'am, Ra'anana, Israel

It is good to see somene (William Garrrett of Harrow) mentioning part of the long-term background to the endless and insoluble Palestine disaster, especially as Gt Britain bears the primary original responsibility. How curious that just the three British statesmen, Balfour, LlG and Churchill, who'd had ample and painful experience of the results, in Ireland, of the setlement of more "advanced" colonists in a relatively undeveloped land should have been such enthusiastic "Gentile Zionists". Partly would-be imperialism on the cheap, partly a readiness to bestow charity out of the pockets of others. "Institutional racism" avant la phrase.Much too late to undo the original wrong of the Balfour declaration; but it would be good to read a frank and authoritative acknowledgement of our historical responsibility in having originally created the ghastly mess.

John PArker, Tork, Great Britain