Israel’s Government Protects Its Citizens

Re “Arafat in a Box,” editorial, Oct. 19: In response to Israel’s pinpoint killing of terrorist leader Mustafa Zibri, The Times laments: “It should have been clear to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government that killing Zibri would inflame Palestinians.” If America is fortunate enough to find and kill terrorist Osama bin Laden and the terrorists strike back, will The Times write: “It should have been clear to President Bush’s government that killing Bin Laden would inflame Muslims”?

Israel tried a unilateral cease-fire and was rewarded with the terrorist bombing of a discotheque full of teenagers. There is no “cycle of violence”; there is the PLO condoning and sometimes committing terrorism, and there is Israel responding to protect its citizens.

Jeff Kandel

Los Angeles

Jonathan Power believes the U.S. is fighting terrorism the wrong way and making the situation worse for all (Commentary, Oct. 18). Among his conclusions is the proposal “that the U.S. has to use its political and financial muscle to push Israel into some forward movement agreeable to Palestinians.” Power ignores the fact that Yasser Arafat’s, the Palestinian Authority’s and its supporters’ sole goal is the eradication of Israel. I submit that the proper conclusion should be that the U.S. has to use its political and financial power to push the Palestinians into some forward movement agreeable to Israel. It is time to stop placating the enemies of the free world.

Kurt Trieselmann

West Covina