Mistrust Slows Mideast Peace

Re “U.S. Lowers Its Sights on Mideast,” July 8: All of the “ominous reasons” and analysis of motives quoted in your article fail to address, or even mention, the root problem in this conflict. A final peace agreement can never be concluded as long as Israel continues the occupation and settlement of internationally recognized Palestinian territory. Given the United States’ deep involvement and support, economically, militarily and diplomatically, of one side of the conflict, how can it possibly be an honest broker to any negotiations, which must have as their end the full implementation of all U.N. resolutions and compliance with international law?

Having spent most of the year 2000 living in Jerusalem, what is portrayed in this article and, sadly, in the U.S. media in general, has no relation to the reality on the ground. The daily oppression and inhumane treatment imposed on the Palestinian people in a country that is described as democratic would never be tolerated in our free land.

Ted Shohfi

Chatsworth

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Re “Armed Occupier Is Hardly a Hero,” Commentary, July 9: The poignancy of Hanna Nasir’s story of spurned humanity by a robot-like Israeli soldier who “rudely” rejected an offer of fruit and coffee should be flipped on its head. The young Israeli soldiers that I have recently met with and spoken to ache for peace, and a great many of them would have accepted the unprecedented and far-reaching land concessions offered by Ehud Barak, even though Israel’s claims to the West Bank are every bit, if not more, valid than those of the Palestinians.

As the world knows, those concessions were spurned by Yasser Arafat, not only with “rudeness,” but with a 10-month-long reign of terror against the people of Israel that is being resisted by the same soldiers Nasir derides with what can indeed be called heroism.

Ben Orlanski

Los Angeles

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Nasir fails to mention that some of those “relaxed” students have participated in riots and violent demonstrations against Jews who live in the region (who, by the way, are not going anywhere). Birzeit has been a focal point of anti-Israeli (read anti-Jewish) agitation and violence for decades. The Israeli had good reason for brusquely refusing Nasir’s “hospitality.” It was a patronizing, contemptible gesture.

The Israeli is there to quell violence perpetrated by Nasir’s fellow Arabs on the Israeli’s fellow Jews. “Itzick” may not look heroic to those who celebrate when children die for the propaganda and public sympathy it generates. Itzick is a hero to me for holding the line in the defense of Israel under impossibly difficult circumstances.

Howard Winter

Beverly Hills