Palestinians in Jordan

While the Middle East is in dire need for peace, one of the most staggering, monumental wastes of available human resources is taking place in the midst of inter-Arab recrimination and hatred. As Daniel Williams reports (Feb. 14), Kuwait has deported over 300,000 Arabs to Jordan. The Arab countries are spending over $100 billion for weapons, in order to make war against Israel and each other. The American-Soviet-sponsored peace conference is nothing but a camouflage and escape from the real problems of the Middle East.

What is needed is a 10-year moratorium on high-tech weapons purchases and anti-Israel propaganda. Better yet: Stop all official negotiations between the Arabs and Israel. Start negotiations among Arabs, all Arabs, with the aim of using the billions saved on weapons to build houses and farms for the Arab refugees of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan and Israel. That should be the starting point. Business must improve, by opening borders (e.g., allowing the imprisoned Jewish community in Syria to leave), the boycotts must stop. Discrimination outlawed. Yes, let’s guarantee loans for Arabs and Jews, and let’s have a peaceful race of who will settle the refugees faster. After all that is put into place, then we could easily reconvene a conference and ratify the peace.

BERNARD I. LINDNER, Los Angeles