Criticism of Shamir

The article by Price was an angry tirade against the prime minister of Israel. It lacked both in logic and knowledge of the basic facts.

Price’s first paragraph gave a false impression. For 20 years after the Six Day War, the Arabs in the West Bank had more freedom, prosperity and democracy than their brethren in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. They received health care in Israeli hospitals and attended Israeli universities. During my 7 1/2 years of residence in Israel, I met a number of Arab families. They had no serious complaints to make of the Israeli administration.

After 20 years of comparative tranquility and prosperity, the West Bank erupted in stone throwing. What is the basis of this uprising? If conditions were as bad as described by Price, why did not the uprising occur during the Yom Kippur War when Israel was fighting to exist against the attack by Egypt and Syria to destroy Israel for all time?

Shamir is realistic. The stone throwing is war on Israel by the PLO. Wars and insurrections are brutal. Israel is fighting for its existence. An independent West Bank would be a terrorists’ nest in the heart of Israel. How could one prevent a machine gun blast on the Knesset or Lod Airport from the West Bank?

No, Mr. Price. Save your anger for the wealthy Arab League who finance terrorists and PLO. Their extreme wealth gives them the cloak of respectability. Remember the 240 Marines who were killed in Lebanon for no other reason than that the United States is a friend of Israel.

A. BERESKIN

Palm Springs