The Middle East must stand strong against the US’s stance on Jerusalem

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Mike Pence has damaged relations with the Middle East even further (Getty)

US Vice President Mike Pence has reiterated America’s stance towards Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as a pillar of the deal of the century that Trump pledges to fulfil during his presidency. He is now in the Middle East, visiting Jordan and Egypt.

Jordan received $1.3bn dollars as part of American economic and military aid last year. It is also the largest host of Palestinian refugees per capita worldwide and the historic and legal guardian of Islamic and Christian holy shrines in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

It is a stalwart of hope and peace in the midst of political disenfranchisement, ethnic turbulence, the resurgence of religious sentiments and economic downturn that are gripping the region and the entire world.

Jerusalem remains a symbol of cultural and religious pluralism. America should never use its aid as a sword to nudge Jordan into political positions that are alien to its people and ethos.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London NW2

Sexual liberation has obviously gone too far

Perhaps we need to let the pendulum swing back a little – maybe an unwritten but understood rule that if you are dating someone you do not get beyond a peck on the cheek for the first few dates, and then have a mature discussion about “moving on”.

That might identify all sorts of things about the person and the relationship. First-night or one-night stands may still occur but both parties should be clear about the need for sober agreement and the implications of not observing the right to change one’s mind and withdraw without challenge or protest.

Liberation has been a good thing, but the freedoms have been abused by people with selfish attitudes.

Michael Mann
Shrewsbury

I’m glad our opinion on the Iraq War has evolved

Patrick Cockburn’s opinion on sanctions reminded me of a letter sent to my Labour MP some years ago. It was expressing the position of your writer. The reply I received contained this sentence: “It is regrettable that Mr Kozlowski has chosen to believe the propaganda put out by Saddam Hussain’s regime”. Further correspondence was, of course, futile.

Adrian Kozlowski
Birmingham

Boris Johnson has a lot of nerve criticising Jeremy Corbyn

So Boris Johnson accuses Jeremy Corbyn of “infantile denigration”.

Surely not a case of pots and kettles?

Peter Russell
Germany

Wording matters when it comes to encouraging sustainability

Is it not time to ban the word “disposable” from packaging and advertising?

To the seller it represents handy and convenient, however what it really means is wasteful and polluting. Without this word producers would need to think more about the full life cycle of their product.

Alan Hutchinson
Address supplied

Some issues are not for us to debate

The recent suggestions of a Margaret Thatcher statue can be best left for the pigeons to comment on.

Dennis Fitzgerald
Australia