Palestinians and Iraq War
Subordinating historical truth to personal agenda, Mohammed Tarbush constructs a strained defense of Palestinians making common cause with Iraq (“Palestinians Had Cause to Side With Iraq,” Commentary, Feb. 8). Tarbush attempts to explain away unabashed Palestinian support for Saddam Hussein with confused appeals to myth and moderation.
He asserts: “Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait was as abhorrent to most Palestinians as to other Arabs or Westerners.” This will come as news to intifada leaders who sent a congratulatory telegram to Saddam, to PLO senior officials who sent Saddam messages of solidarity and to those who participated in mass demonstrations of support for Saddam in the West Bank.
Tarbush has little to say about Palestinian support for unprovoked Iraqi missile attacks against Israeli civilians, calls for the use of chemical weapons, or rooftop cheers as Scud missiles fell on Tel Aviv.
Instead, Tarbush waxes dream-like on the Palestinian perception of a “forceful leader in the ancient land of Mesopotamia” and other nonsense.
ALAN WALLACE
Executive Committee
Anti-Defamation League
Los Angeles
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