I admire Melanie Phillips for her courage and eloquence. However, her defence of Israel’s birth as a modern nation seems based on two very tendentious assertions.

First, the Jewish people had a right to occupy Palestine because of their deep connection with the land. Well, they do have a deep connection with the land, but don’t 1800 years of absence mean anything? History, bad, sad, and tragic, is history. Should Spain give up Andalusia and Grenada? Should the United States give up Texas, New Mexico and California? Should Poland give up Wrocław?

Second, she implies that the Palestinians were not a nation and had less right to the land than Jewish settlers. OMG. This is the doctrine of terra nullius which was said to justify the British occupation / theft of Australia.

I believe that Israel has a right to exist, but not for these reasons.