Readers' corner

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Flour power

Sir-- You wrote, rather astonishingly, "of the 680,000 tonnes of flour the Gaza Strip needs daily only 90 tonnes are permitted to enter." If your numbers were right, that would mean that every person in Gaza consumes half a tonne of flour every day. If you had thought about it, you might have written 680,000 pounds. In such a case, the Israelis would have permitted 33 per cent, and not one per cent, as you claimed.

Ivri Anokhi
Prague
Czech Republic

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We're always to blame

Sir-- It is not a surprise to read this kind of criticism against Israel ('Stay in the street' Al-Ahram Weekly, 5-11 February). Of course, Arab countries and terrorist organisations can threaten and attack Israel but the guilty party will always be Israel as far as you are concerned.

Arabs and Muslims can kill each other causing the death of tens of thousands of children, women, and the elderly without any protest from you, but when Israel reacts to attacks against its civilians they immediately condemn the reaction.

Arab and Muslim countries can lobby and vote at the UN the most absurd resolutions against Israel but they protest when the US opposes such absurdity with its veto.

Ralph Myer
Amsterdam
Holland

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Hawks in the house

Sir-- Re 'Kissinger's scheme' ( Al-Ahram Weekly, 19-25 February), the hen house no longer stands. The fences that kept out the foxes disintegrated and only the posts remain. Reminds you of the empires past. The foxes will not starve as they will feed on the carcasses of the long gone hens. Maybe the next houses should be filled with nothing but hawks.

Jeff Moores
California
USA

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Must change

Sir-- In 'Kissinger's scheme' ( Al-Ahram Weekly, 19-25 February) I wonder where that American Pride index is hovering at now? People's priorities in the US and in general have been blinded by the immediate satisfaction of capitalism for decades -- shop till you drop and spend, spend, spend on frivolous distractions. Now that the ship is sinking, priorities will have to be realigned -- sink or swim. Better have those life preservers handy. What's coming is inevitable. Hopefully the people haven't forgotten how to produce their own food. It's time for Obama to pay back all his wealthy supporters who funded his campaign. No sense in waiting or hoping for assistance from the people.

David Fischer
Florida
USA