The Israelis are politicians no different from other politicians and I do try and look at the Israeli Government with a certain amount of detachment by seeing them straight on rather than behind a screen of moral righteousness. God is so often a justification for the worst of what we want to do. You write that everyone becomes, in victory, obsessed by the moral factor. Have you now become my moral guide through moral and ethical minefields? War has never been considered immoral at the highest level of responsibility - merely wise or unwise in the event you lose or your aims are not fulfilled. I would argue that if there is an absence of morality then it’s morally reprehensible to attack. You were very clear when you pointed out that Israel did not use - contrary to some versions - nor intended to use, such direct force against civilians and I don’t doubt that a number of people in Government have called it “embarrassing” but all in all it’s still an damning critique.

You’ve asked if Israel is in imminent peril. Israel is at a crossroads as it has often been in the past. Historically, Israel has managed to survive all the storms but the peace process is barely on track and the situation will worsen during the months ahead due to stupidity, reaction, intolerance and hatred. I feel the brooding abyss widening. Israel’s enemy will be herself in the long term and their fate may be sealed by their own perversity. These will be days of doubt and of final decision which will mark the turning period in the history of the Middle East. They will continue to move from crisis to crisis impelled by the force of circumstance and they will act more hurriedly at times than wisdom demands. Israel may be flawed but I still believe, nonetheless, that with wise counsel they can overcome the difficulties ahead. There are a handful of good, caring and compassionate people working in Government who understand the perils that lie ahead for Israel but they are few and far between and they will be working in an environment of political and bureaucratic indifference and even hostility.

Nothing has changed in the past few years ...