You report (Citizen 24/01/04) the extraordinary sacking from the frontbench of LibDem MP Jenny Tonge. Dr Tonge did not condone suicide bombings. She said the violence and humiliation suffered by Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli state 'made me understand how people can become suicide bombers’ and that if she had to live in the Palestinians' situation, she 'might just consider' becoming a suicide bomber herself. Surely if the appalling suicide bombings are to stop, then we need more politicians like Dr Tonge, who are trying to understand and address the desperation and political alienation that leads to such awful acts of violence. The Israeli embassy said they wouldn't ‘expect any human being to express an understanding of such atrocities.’ This lack of insight is surely part of why the bombings will continue. Israelis must recognise their responsibility in creating the conditions whereby people are driven to such levels of frustration and desperation. Similarly our own politicians need to understand that they fuel this despair by their refusal to take active measures to stop Israel's land-grab. Indeed the fuss about the comments, has meant that Jenny Tonge's most important points are being completely lost; the fact of Israeli illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the repressive measures that accompany it. We have certainly come to a sad place when an MP gets sacked for expressing a personal opinion that should in any case be uncontroversial. Charles Kennedy should have defended to the last her right to speak her mind.

Carol Kambites Green Party candidate for the European Parliament