Trading Land for Peace

Regarding an article by Daniel Williams about the Golan Heights settlers (Part A, July 23) and the chances of peace there:

Some of my best buddies, after surviving a grueling three years of service in an elite Israeli army unit, decided to establish a “young” kibbutz on the Golan Heights, the first such a settlement in fact. This was a shared dream among us, in an army unit where approximately 80% of the soldiers came from veteran kibbutzim. Therefore, they approached me, trying to convince me to join them. And as much as I wanted to, my answer was a negative one.

The reason: This is not our land, and we should be ready to give it up for peace one day. Furthermore, planting a tree there, building a house, bringing up a baby, all amount to some form of colonialism. Security, yes! The army should stay there as long as there is no peace. But tomorrow, they and others may be requested to pay the ultimate price, and they won’t be able to honestly say, “We didn’t know such a possibility existed.” They should be ready to give up their own personal little dream for the sake of the collective big one: peace--the best security of them all!

HILLEL DAMRON

Burbank