Israel, Palestinians and Violence in Gaza and the West Bank

The casual, even lofty tone of The Times editorial “The Fallacy of the Gaza Strip” (Dec. 16) is indicative of the fear Americans have to touch on Arab-Israeli relations. This in spite of the very obvious brutality being practiced against the Arabs, which is clearly the policy of the Israeli government.

If this were going on in Nicaragua one can imagine the panic in the American press and the screams for revenge. Instead we criticize ever so lightly lest we offend the powerful Israeli interest here in the U.S. The pity is that we are supplying the weapons and at once are at a loss to know why we aren’t loved by them who are killed or maimed. We accept the foolish dictum that God gave the Israelis that tortured land, ,and relished our importance when Begin called Falwell to confide some new military move.

There can never be peace in the Middle East while we furnish the money (now $3 billion per year and growing). The pusillanimity of our politicians is indicated by their willingness to accept an exchange of campaign dollars for the $ 3 billion we give each year to Israel.

JACK RAGSDALE

San Diego