Mideast: Still Waiting for Respect for Rights

Robert Scheer has reached a new level of Orwellian doublespeak in his April 17 commentary comparing Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. How is it that Israel can be an occupying power when the Arabs outnumber the Jews 20 to 1? And this is a struggle between the whole Arab world and the Jews. Are Israeli troops, who are fighting house to house to smoke out terrorists, in order to save Palestinian civilian lives that would be lost through airstrikes and artillery barrages, really equivalent to suicide bombers?

And finally, invoking the proud legacy of Israel’s founders to prove his points is truly nauseating. David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin and others all extended their hands in peace toward the Arab people. And time after time they were told thanks, but no thanks. We don’t want any Jews here. Get out.

Bob Korda

Los Angeles

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Scheer hit the honesty nail right on the head! Sharon has become the oppressor in the guise of security. When Sharon consoles the bombers’ victims’ families, he should say he is sorry for being so pigheaded by oppressing the Palestinian youths so much that they become human bombs. Peace can be achieved only when the Sharon government stops the invasion, ends assassinations and removes the illegal settlements on the Palestinian land areas.

Bruce Masai

El Segundo

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Congratulations to Scheer for his courage. Sharon is Israel’s Milosevic. The sad difference between the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo in the past and Palestine now is that the U.S. fuels the conflict by providing Sharon with the arms and money needed to wage war against civilians. Will we never understand that there can be no peace in the Middle East without justice?

Roger Dingman

Harbor City

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Re “ ‘They Forced Me to Hate,’ ” April 14: Did Lukea Tomei weep when innocent people were killed at a Passover Seder, or when others were killed while shopping for groceries or going dancing or riding a bus? Has she spoken out against suicide bombings? Probably not. I never hated the Palestinians, but now they have forced me to hate. I do not care if the Palestinians suffer. Israel is suffering.

Susan Lieberman

Northridge

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The entire Palestinian population should not be collectively punished for the atrocities committed by a few. Civilized people must condemn both the suicide bombers and the war crimes being committed by Israel (as defined by the Geneva Convention), such as the denial of food, water, electricity and medical care to the Palestinian people. Both sides need protection from each other, either by the U.S., the U.N., NATO or a combination of these three.

Richard Fitzgerald

Long Beach

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It is indeed sad and ironic that Israel has gone from the role of being oppressed to being the oppressor. I have been a lifelong supporter of Israel. Since Sharon became prime minister and especially since the Israeli incursion into Palestinian territory, I have ceased to support Israel. The Israeli people need to learn that their use of brute force will continue to erode their support base and impede any hope for lasting peace.

Dale A. Choppin

Seal Beach

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I have stopped waiting for members of the human rights community to condemn the intentional mangling and murder of Israeli Jewish children by suicide bombers with the same fervor that they use to decry the bulldozing of Palestinian homes that are used to shelter terrorists and bomb-making factories. I am still waiting for them to express outrage at the exploitation of Palestinian children by their presumed liberators, who induce them to become human bombs and human shields.

Frederick Stampler

Los Angeles