Israeli Interrogations

* Re “Rabin Seeks OK for More Force in Grilling Suspects” and “Palestinian Security Unit Accused of Torture,” Aug. 25:

According to two Israeli civil rights organizations--B’tselem and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel--both Israeli and the Palestinian authorities use the same techniques, which include beating suspects, depriving them of sleep, isolating them in cramped quarters, shaking them violently and “prolonged binding of [their] arms and legs.” As your reporter points out, the Palestinian police learned these procedures from the Israelis when many of those same Palestinian policemen were captives of the Israelis and had that “force” applied to them.

B’tselem and PCATI (also Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch) use the word torture in both cases. The euphemistic term force is not a natural language choice for anyone attempting to report these stories objectively. In the piece on torture by the Israelis, The Times abandoned its usual objectivity.

DONALD S. BUSTANY, Representative

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination

Committee, Greater Los Angeles Chapter

* Re “Israel: Where the Strong Weep and the Weak Kill,” by Martin E. Marty, Opinion, Aug. 27:

Did it take three columns to tell us the obvious, that the peace process is in jeopardy? Wouldn’t some comment be appropriate that the Palestinians have some responsibility, in not controlling terrorist acts? Does the writer reveal himself with the statement that both sides have blood on their hands? Is that an excuse to justify new crimes? Is Israel supposed to feel equally responsible?

Beyond the fact that he tells us that Israelis are being murdered, but they’d better not get mad about it or they’ll destroy the peace process, doesn’t he think that terrorism is wrong? He told me only that people were crying over it. Gosh, golly gee! Such emotion! What a sweet, kindly and toothless article about such a horrible situation.

GEORGE LIPPMAN

Fullerton