I cannot believe the viewpoint one of your writers took regarding Bournemouth twinning with Netanya in Israel (Have Your Say, June 1).

The whole point with twinning is to create goodwill between townships and to promote friendships at council level, which often leads to trade and tourism benefits.

Surely this rises above conflicts fought between governments? Why penalise the townspeople?

It’s also naïve to overlook the motives of those on board the aid ships, some 700 or so, of whom many were hell-bent on focussing world attention on their cause in an attempt to ease the embargo, which in turn would simply make it easier to smuggle in more powerful missiles to wreak death and destruction on the Israelis.

I’m sorry, but until Palestine rids itself of Hamas, there will never be peace.

Terry Lafferty, Stony Lane, Christchurch