In your editorial (31 August), you stated that Donald Trump’s attempt to take the issue of the “right to return” off the table was a dangerous move because this was meant to be decided by talks between Israel and the Palestinians. It is generally accepted (I suspect that most Palestinian politicians are realistic in this regard) that Israel (whatever coalition is in power) would never agree to millions of Palestinians “returning” to 1967-border Israel. Thus, while one can berate Trump for removing financial support to Palestinian refugees, it is disingenuous to condemn him for taking off the table what practically will never be on the table (other than as a bargaining chip).

It should also be noted that Palestinian politicians promising their people that they will never give up on a “right to return” and Unrwa’s insistence on labelling Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza as refugees, is a surefire way of guaranteeing that a two-state solution, currently in its death throes, has absolutely no chance of revival. That much Trump is well aware of but, evidently, not the Guardian.

Syd Kaminsky

Manchester

• The article by Peter Beaumont and Oliver Holmes (US accused of using aid cuts to force Palestinians into accepting Israel peace deal, 31 August) only deals with one side of the involvement of the US government in the Middle East peace process. A far more effective way of using aid cuts to force a peace deal would be for the US to cut its massive military aid to Israel. The deal over that aid was signed in September 2016 and amounts to almost £27bn over 10 years. If the US government stopped signing the cheques, the Israeli government would certainly be forced to engage in genuine peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Michael Meadowcroft

Leeds

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