Havel weighs in on Israeli-Palestinian issue

Former Czech president Václav Havel says that Palestinians have the right to a free state and that the legitimacy of Israel is as unquestionable as with any other UN member state. Mr Havel weighed in on the issue in response to an open letter signed by various politicians and activists, who asked that he support a boycott on Israel until it begins to adhere to international law. The letter was signed by former Czech foreign minister Jan Kavan and the chairman of the Communist Party, Vojtěch Filip. Mr Havel wrote that the recent renewal of peace talks between Israel and Palestine offered hope and that both parties to the conflict deserved encouragement rather than a boycott.