My MP has been gracious enough to respond to my letter expressing concern about Sharon's plans for a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip while ensuring its control over large chunks of the West Bank. Events have progressed considerably in the period since I wrote the letter, with Sharon's Likud Party voting against the plan, nonetheless lets see what he has to say...

Thank you for your letter. I share your concerns about the terrible situation in Israel.

Sounds good, this is no doubt a view which would be echoed by any civillised person.

Whilst I fully support Israel's right to self-determination and existence, I am deeply disturbed by the behaviour and actions of the Sharon Government...

Again a view universally shared within the civillised world.

...I believe there should be a total and complete withdrawal from most of the occupied territories (with the exception of the Golan Heights)...

A withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip is undoubtedly essential, a point we clearly do not disagree on. His position with regard to the Golan Heights, captured from Syria during the 1967 War is interesting, although not one I entirely agree with. Israel's claims as to the threat which a Syrian presence in this area would pose, may well have an element of truth to them, perhaps a substantial one, but I don't believe this justifies a de facto endorsement of Israel's military annexation of the region. Surely a better solution would be for the area to be declared neutral territory and administered by UN peacekeeping forces, until an equitable agreement can be reached between Syria and Israel.

...and that the settlement that has been built since 1967 should be removed as confidence-building measures to encourage meaningful peace talks.

A not unreasonable position. The reference to settlement rather than settlements is presumably just a misprint.

I will certainly draw your views to the attention to the Foreign Secretary and I will write to you again when I have heard from him.

I can hardly wait. I should stress that the various errors ("to the attention to" etc.) are honestly not mine, an indication perhaps of how important my correspondences are considered?