West Bank Olive Trees Cut Down

* Re “Olive Harvest Becomes a Palestinian Casualty,” Nov. 25:

How horrifying to read that the Israeli Army and Israeli settlers of illegally occupied territories are conspiring to destroy the olive crop in the Palestinian West Bank. Plainly, this is yet another facet of Israel’s strategy to destroy by any means possible those who would obstruct, even if only by their very existence, Israel’s five-decade-long expansionist campaign.

Keeping indigenous Palestinians confined to Israel-created ghettos no longer seems to be sufficient; now their livelihood must be taken away as well, presumably leaving these poor people to starve. I am ashamed that $3 billion of our tax dollars each year are being used to foster and perpetuate these atrocities.

RANDALL SMITH

Del Mar

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The reason for removing the trees is because Palestinians hide behind them to detonate bombs or shoot innocent Israeli citizens. Remember Nov. 20, when these poor Palestinians bombed a school bus, killing and mutilating children and teachers? Close your eyes and try to imagine how the Cohen family is feeling now. Their three elementary-age children were on that bus and had their limbs blown off. How should the Israelis deal with that? I understand that it is a minority of the Palestinians who are responsible for these actions, but unfortunately the majority supports them.

The Israelis have tried everything possible to achieve peace. Yasser Arafat has proven he will never accept a Jewish state of Israel. How would the U.S. respond to our neighbors stoning, shooting and bombing our soldiers and our schoolchildren? Open your eyes and report the real story of this wave of Palestinian violence. The problem stems from the fact that the Jews believe in life and the Palestinians in martyrdom.

ALAN M. HOWARD

Encino