Israel Feels Threatened by Anti-Terror Coalition

Re “Sharon Apologizes for Remarks That Irked D.C.,” Oct. 7:

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s words may have been too harsh, but I completely agree with his concerns. Israel is the one country in the world most serious about fighting terrorism, largely because its very existence is at stake. The Bush administration has been attempting to include a number of terrorist Arab states in the coalition and doing so by pressuring Israel to turn the other cheek to ongoing Palestinian terrorism. No one in Israel, including Sharon, has any illusions about Israel’s reliance on the U.S. as its closest ally. It is especially because of this that Israel feels so threatened and somewhat betrayed.

Roee Kalinsky

San Diego

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Despite the angry retort from the White House, that was a deft move by Sharon. He has now planted the seed that any rethinking in our position regarding Israel and the Palestinians is “appeasement.” I don’t think this is the time to address this question, as we have bigger issues at hand. I don’t even suggest that our policy has to change.

I would, however, like our foreign policy to be “our” foreign policy and not be dictated from anywhere but Washington.

George Goodwin

Anaheim

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Sharon was right on target with his portrayal of Israel as a contemporary Sudetenland. The solution after WWII to permanently prevent any future German claims on Czech territory was international permission to transfer ethnic Germans to Germany.

Reuniting Palestinians to two-thirds of the Palestinian territory with a two-thirds Palestinian majority through transfer to Jordan is clearly the best solution. Arabs then get two-thirds of Palestine and the Jews will get the remaining third. There is no need for a second Palestinian country.

Aaron D. Gross

Los Angeles

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Let’s end this now!

Work for and follow through on a separate Palestinian state.

Mandate and subsidize the total use of electric cars in America by, say, 2005.

End all sanctions against Iraq.

Pull all troops out of the Mideast region and let the Arabs handle their own affairs.

Robert Imm

Sunland

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Re “Violence Divides Palestinians,” Oct. 9: Palestinian rioters throw stones at soldiers. Soldiers beat the rioters and eventually fire guns at them, killing a 12-year old boy. This time, though, the soldiers are Palestinian, not Israeli. Where is international outrage against the Palestinians? Where are the declarations of condemnation from the Arab League and the U.N. Security Council? Where are the massive civil protests in Muslim capitals against the Palestinian Authority?

When Palestinians kill their own, it’s to be played down, but when Israeli acts of self-defense lead to unfortunate casualties, it’s an excuse to call for the elimination of Israel and Jews.

Guy Nadivi

Woodland Hills