Ariel Sharon

Re “Sharon Blames Mideast Unrest on Arafat,” Nov. 2:

Ariel Sharon, the Butcher of Lebanon, now seeks to place blame for his outrageous and inflammatory visit to Jerusalem’s holiest site on the very people he antagonized with his mere presence there. Did the world not learn from the Balkan conflicts of the ‘90s that some political leaders don’t care how many people have to die to expand their own power? Sharon and his supporters would drag the U.S. into World War III and not blink an eye.

The U.S. must start making Israel conform to our desires and if necessary impose a peace. We already bribe Israel, Egypt and others in the region with billions of our tax dollars, but Israel arrogantly defies U.S. will again and again. If it takes 500,000 U.S. troops in Israel to impose a peace and eventual U.N. forces to make Jerusalem an international city, then that is a far smaller price to pay than the carnage sure to come by continually caving in to Israel’s demands and manipulations.

JEFF SOFTLEY

West Hollywood

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It has been said that the Arabs never lose an opportunity to lose an opportunity. The Sharon visit to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount is yet another example of this.

What an opportunity this was for Yasser Arafat--or a prominent Muslim cleric--to greet Sharon and welcome him by confirming that all Jews and Christians were welcome to visit a site that is equally holy to all religions. This would have been an enormous public relations coup and would confirm to all that the Palestinians were indeed peace-loving, tolerant of other religions and willing to live in peace with those who come in peace. Christians and Jews do not object to Muslims visiting their holy sites, so why should the Muslims object to a visit by a Jew? Especially since Sharon did not enter any of the mosques and simply walked on the 36-acre area [that is] under Muslim supervision.

Instead, there were rocks, demonstrations and hatred. What a pity. What an opportunity lost to advance peace.

SI FRUMKIN

Studio City