Yasser Arafat

* Regarding “Arafat Clarifies ‘Jihad’ Call; Peres Accepts Explanation,” May 19: It is always interesting to see how PLO leader Yasser Arafat conveniently says different things, with the same words, to different people.

Arafat now claims that he meant the word jihad as a peaceful religious term, when he talks to the Israelis and the West. But, for the past 30 years of the intifada, it has always meant victory through violent warfare and terrorism.

Earlier, when his followers in a mosque heard him state; “Jihad will continue . . . our main battle is Jerusalem,” they knew exactly what he meant--it was not necessary for him to explain the meaning to them. It meant what it has always meant: an attack upon Jerusalem and the driving out of the Israelis from their holy city.

This is typical of the problems Israel has had to face most of the time in dealing with the Palestinian Arabs. I realize that Arafat is having problems with the more militant among those who hate the Jews, but his blatant attempt to cover up his appeal to these people must be exposed and dealt with if permanent peace is ever to be achieved in the Middle East.

IRVING E. FRIEDMAN

Laguna Niguel

* Your editorial “Arafat Says: Who Me?” (May 12) omitted to mention that Arafat is having difficulty recruiting even his old allies, because of the agreement he signed. An agreement that, for starters, leaves the settlers in 30% of Gaza; and the settlers’ per capita allocation of 100 times the land and 16 times the water designated for the native Palestinians. Would it not be more informative to your readers to explain why the Palestinians are angry?

ISSAM NASHASHIBI

Newport Beach