Pressuring Israel on Peace Talks

Re “A Moment for the Mideast,” editorial, Oct. 17: How disappointing. Where have you been for the past eight years, especially the last 13 months? The contention that this is the time to get the so-called “peace process” going by exerting pressure on Israel seems oblivious to Yasser Arafat’s actions of the past year. Prominent Palestinians have said Arafat and the Palestinian Authority planned the violence right after Camp David.

Palestinian police killing three pro-Bin Laden protesters hardly undermines the belief that Arafat is “a loathsome opportunist who is exploiting the war on terrorism to rehabilitate himself.” In fact, it completely supports it. There have been over 5,000 attacks on Israelis by Palestinian terrorists (not militants, but terrorists) since September 2000. Arafat and his corrupt Palestinian Authority have rarely taken the steps to “crack down on home-grown violence.” Quite the contrary, as they have supported and engaged in such acts. To attack Israel for the policy of destroying terrorists and their cells leads me to believe that, to some, Jewish blood is cheap.

The world is once again missing an opportunity to hold Arafat accountable for his actions. The “genuine” peace process is being held hostage. Please wake up.

Brian Elfand

Woodland Hills

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Regarding Washington’s request for a settlement between Israel and Palestine, former Knesset member Avigdor Lieberman states, “While in the opposition, we’ll first and foremost seek to foil the American initiative” (Oct. 16). He is also pressing the government to renounce the Oslo agreement. This is a country whose economy would bottom out like the Titanic if America didn’t prop it up with $3.5 billion in financial aid every year, not to mention the jets, missiles and helicopters we send them. Maybe we should press the British government to renounce the Balfour Declaration.

John Zavesky

Los Angeles