Mideast Peace Talks

In response to “Another Dagger Points Toward Mideast Talks,” editorial, Dec. 19:

You are so right in concluding that the stalled peace process can be revived only if Washington is able to intervene persuasively. I have recently participated in a peace delegation to the Middle East. We visited Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus and Amman. The officials and ordinary people we talked to stressed to us over and over that without active U.S. participation the peace process will not go anywhere. All the parties look to the United States to keep the process alive and move it forward. Arabs and Israelis view the peace process as the last hope. Its failure will be disastrous for the whole Middle East.

It’s too early to tell. But it will be a mistake if the Clinton Administration devotes all its energies to domestic problems and ignores the peace process started by the Bush Administration.

SAMI M. ODEH

Orange