Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, is synonymous with Christmas, but it is menaced by the concrete divide that encroaches on Palestine territory, says Eoin O’Driscoll.

Palestinians have carried out three stabbing attacks against Israelis and police in Jerusalem, with two of the attackers shot dead, Israeli police said.

Ruairi McKiernan (Letters, Dec 13) uses the death of Nelson Mandela to attack Israel, saying the Palestinians experience a new ‘Berlin Wall.’

I see that the World Bank is again blaming Israel for hampering the development of the Palestinian West Bank economy by holding on to 61% of mostly empty West Bank territory.

HAMAS would consider a “truce” with Israel, but will never recognise the Jewish state, a senior leader said yesterday as thousands celebrated the group’s 23rd anniversary.

Arab doctors will meet in Jordan to probe rumours that former Palestinian president Yasser Arafat was poisoned, nearly five years after he died of what French medics called a massive brain haemorrhage.

Nearly five years after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat died by what French doctors called a massive brain haemorrhage, Arab doctors will meet in Jordan to probe rumours Arafat was poisoned – a suspicion that has lingered years after his death.

THE article by Palestinian Delegate-General Dr Hikmat Ajjuri (Irish Examiner, November 12) regarding the origin of Israel and the current state of Israeli-Palestinian relations was not only bitterly partisan and inflammatory, it was riddled with untruths and historical inaccuracies.

YUSSEF DORKHOM of the Palestinian General Delegation to Ireland makes a number of assertions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which are incorrect (Letters, February 8).

NADAV COHEN (Letters, February 1), in his riposte to your editorial (‘Aggression will not end this insanity’, January 22), states dismissively that only “some lessons can be learned from the success of the Northern peace process”.

YOUR editorial (‘Aggression will not end this insanity’, January 22) ignores the fundamental issues that led to the current situation in Gaza.

IRELAND is among a number of countries that should publicly state what actions they are taking to ensure Israel complies with international law, a charity has said.