Mideast Peace
Yossi Halevi (Commentary, March 22) believes Israel, with the most powerful military force in the Middle East, is undergoing a “siege of terror” by the Palestinians armed with sticks and stones and the occasional slingshot. That terrorism and counter-terrorism prevail in the area is a depressing reality. The loss of innocent lives, be they Israeli or Palestinian, is equally deplorable.
Halevi asks, “How do we prevent those trying to kill us from entering our neighborhoods?” Since 1947 the answer to that question has been negotiation and compromise. Confrontation bought time in the early years but never peace. Negotiations have been sporadic and only partially successful. But which is best, failure or partial success? So long as Israelis and Palestinians each believe they are the aggrieved party and that the other side is totally in the wrong, chaos and heartbreak will prevail. The leaders on both sides owe it to their long-suffering constituents to get the peace process moving again. As for the United States, the Bush administration stance of “help but don’t interfere” seems just right.
GEORGE MILLER
Los Osos
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