Canceled Sale and Peace Talks

* Re “Israel Cancels Sale of Radar System to China,” July 13: Bravo to Israel! It has once again employed a gambit to further extract billions of American taxpayer dollars. It comes as no surprise that Israel decided to flinch from the radar sales deal with China at an opportune time, when peace negotiations are taking place. In so doing, Israel is invariably securing a gargantuan aid package from the “generous” United States. When is the United States going to come to its senses?

ARA AVAKYAN

Valley Village

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Jerusalem as a “deal-breaker” for peace in the Holy Land (July 13) should be a shock to everyone. For Arabs, Jerusalem is second to Mecca as its most holy city, because it is the site of their holy Al Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock. But it was never an Arab capital. As reported in the Bible, King David proclaimed Jerusalem the capital of Israel and it has been so venerated by Jews for thousands of years.

Even when the Arabs (Jordan) occupied East Jerusalem (1948 to 1967), there was never even a hint of making Jerusalem an Arab capital. So where are the ancient Arab roots to Jerusalem to make it a “deal-breaker” today?

PETER GRANT

Van Nuys

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A compromise to the problem of the West Bank settlers--a simple solution in which each gets something: Trade the West Bank Israeli settlers for the Palestinians living in Israel. Hmm.

BARNEY L. LEE

Laguna Woods

Estate Tax

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The current estate tax rate is an “aggressive” one, given that the money is merely what was left over after having already paid the applicable federal and state taxes. Since most large estates have been able to evade this tax through financial planning and legal maneuvers, its net only casts over an unwary 2% of taxpayers. Given today’s tax schedule on even moderate-sized estates, one will not be able to leave much more than 10 cents for every dollar earned in a lifetime.

With the projected tax surplus in years to come, there is no longer any reason for our government to take away so much from those who have worked hard to make provisions for their descendants. President Clinton may be able to veto it this time (July 15), but the consequence may well cost the Democrats dearly in November.

JOHN T. CHIU

Newport Beach

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A July 3 letter regarding estate taxes states: “The Congressional Budget Office has released information that this tax . . . costs more to administer and collect . . . than the total amount collected.” After several unsuccessful efforts to confirm this startling statement, I have been informed by a CBO spokesman through my congressman’s office that no such information has been released and that the cost of administering and collecting the tax is actually between 10% and 15% of the amount collected.

GENE BARMORE

Huntington Beach