Sir, - In his response to my earlier letter, Dr Yousef Allan (April 14th) would like your readers to believe that East Jerusalem was a Palestinian city until Israel seized it in 1967. In fact, through the ages there were Jews living in the Old City - that is, until they were expelled in 1948. From then until 1967, Jews were not permitted to visit their holy sites.
I agree with Dr Allan that Jerusalem should remain an open city; it's only a shame that for nearly twenty years it was closed to the oldest of the three faiths having historical links there. - Yours, etc.,
Knocksinna Crescent,
Dublin 18.