Chris Halford (Oxford Mail ViewPoints, September 24) claims that the terrorists, who attacked the Turkish aid ship which was heading for Gaza, were defending their homeland.

Whereas, the homeland that he refers to is, in reality, Palestine, which has been the homeland of the Palestinians for thousands of years.

To claim, as some Jewish people do, that because some of their ancestors might have lived there thousands or even hundreds of years ago makes it theirs, defies logic.

Why, I might ask, does a religion need a country all to itself?

As I see it, until this land is returned to its native populaion I can only see continued worldwide strife.

Derrick Holt Fortnam Close Headington Oxford