Mr. Khan is quite correct in his assessment of the comedy in Annapolis. Neither Israel nor the U.S. have the slightest interest in peace except on their terms, which would mean a collection of helpless bantustans masquerading as a "Palestinian state." It is no surprise that the Times gives credence to this mockery - the mainstream media are part of the problem, and anyone who accepts the conventional wisdom on this subject needs to do some homework.

Roger Tucker, Hillsborough, No. Carolina

Even the most dastardly killings and brutal treatment by Israel of the occupied Palestinians over all these years, the Bush Administration has sided with Israel and protected its genocidal policy. Of course, the role of Christian Right and Christian Zionists in shaping the direction of Bush's foreign policy cannot be underestimated. However, the Crusading President has shown his fanatical hatred of Muslims, and his treatment of the Muslims of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine shows his attitude.

The present meeting is a ploy to deceive the world public opinion about the true intentions of Bush once more while he strengthens American and Israeli stranglehold over the whole region.The PLO, the acknowledged representative of the Palestinian people , has not even been invited to this peace conference! The whole thing is nothing more than a comic charade staged by Mr Bush and his neoconservatives.

Nasir Khan, Oslo, Norway