The families and friends of the Sussex University Palestine Solidarity Society students who became trapped in the West Bank must be relieved they are now safe from immediate danger.

However, it should be noted that these students voluntarily travelled to this dangerous region against the official advice of the Foreign Office.

The mother of one of the students, Dr Karmi, is quoted in The Argus as stating that the students "did not go out there with the idea of going on holiday".

What exactly did they think they could achieve? If the intention of their visit was to help create peace and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians, why did they not also visit the families of those murdered by Palestinian suicide bombers?

Sadly it would appear these idealistic and naive students allowed themselves to be manipulated and used as propaganda fodder by an organisation linked to terrorists.

-Craig Turton, Dean Gardens, Portslade