Mideast Peace

Re “A Tainted Peace,” Opinion, Oct. 25: Amy Wilentz doubtless wrote her critical piece before the signatures dried in the Rose Garden. Hopefully, her negativism is not contagious. According to the polls taken right after the Israeli and Palestinian leaders met with President Clinton to announce the interim agreements they had reached, three-fourths of the Israelis heralded this as a giant step forward for peace. Apparently the great middle of the Palestinians also greeted this event with great favor and hope. Wilentz, however, exploits the response of the fringe elements on both sides.

Who is Wilentz, anyway, to tell us there is nothing to this achievement? With writers like her getting published, no wonder many believe the media simply focus on controversy. Your lead article should have been a positive one, possibly even from one or more of the participants who put their energy and in some cases their lives into moving Arabs and Jews away from the killing fields and toward a future of peace and prosperity. We desperately need to build on that theme rather than Wilentz’s sour grapes.

GEORGE MAGIT

Northridge

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I wish to compliment you on your Oct. 24 editorial, “A Step on a Long Road,” in which you point out that the Israeli/PLO peace agreement basically implements some agreements first spelled out in the Oslo agreements of 1983. It helps dispel the claims of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s critics that he is unrealistic in his demands.

The record does show that the PLO got land and the Israelis got unfulfilled promises; for example, revision of the Palestinian charter to remove those words which call for Israel’s destruction. It will be interesting to once again observe if Israel is pressured into giving land for unkept promises.

ELI PERLMAN

La Jolla

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The recently concluded peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians was orchestrated by President Clinton to draw the public’s attention away from the pending impeachment proceedings he faces. The contempt that Netanyahu felt for him was demonstrated by his last-minute attempt to pressure Clinton to release the Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard. Clinton’s ability to conduct a credible foreign policy for the United States in a world growing constantly more hostile has been impaired beyond repair.

FRANCIS J. WARD

Port Hueneme

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Clinton has, once again, demonstrated his lack of “diplomatic skills” by giving money to the Israelis and Palestinians and placing American citizens in harm’s way. When are we going to learn that American taxpayers’ lives and money are not the only solution to the world’s problems?

ROBERT BLURTON

EARLENE BLURTON

Huntington Beach

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For God’s sake let us have that man impeached. If he is allowed to continue in office, there is a danger he might promote peace in still other troubled parts of our world, beyond my native Ireland and my beloved Holy Land. The man is a danger to hatred and to war.

DENIS HICKEY

Cypress