Sharon and Arafat: Two Sides, Same Coin

So, Ariel Sharon regrets not killing Yasser Arafat (“Sharon Sorry Arafat Wasn’t Killed in ‘82,” Feb. 1). Seems like a nice guy to me. Seems like someone whose values the world welcomes. Someone who wants to kill those who disagree with him, especially political leaders, along with women and children. Seems like someone the world would benefit from doing business with, especially when it comes down to the value of human lives.

This is the man who doesn’t have a better friend than America. The kind of guy who will bottle up the political leader of an already oppressed and impoverished people in order to have his way with them. Doesn’t sound like a terrorist to me. Nope.

Wasim Muklashy

Los Angeles

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Sharon’s comments regarding Arafat reveal Sharon to be very little different from the Arab leaders he so openly despises.

Instead of seeking avenues of peace he has openly provoked the violent responses of the Palestinians and thumbed his nose at our administration’s feeble requests for dialogue. Now he is determined to convince President Bush that he should also “boycott” Arafat and simply let the Israeli army continue its pogrom unrestrained. Bush will no doubt go along with him, since he doesn’t really know any better.

There is no excuse for the cruelty of Palestinian suicide bombers, nor is there one for the behavior of the Israeli army. It is obvious that violence on either side has never done any good for anyone, yet Sharon shows repeatedly that he just doesn’t care. With “friends” like that. . . .

Bob Loza

Burbank

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Dan Schochet seems to believe that Palestinians will applaud terrorism no matter what, even “when the peace process seemed to be working” (letter, Feb. 1).

Is he referring to the period of the Oslo accords, during which a high number of Jewish settlements were built in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, encroaching upon every Palestinian’s sense of peace and statehood?

I wonder if he thinks the Palestinians should have applauded that instead?

Ghadeer Badran

Los Angeles

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Re Palestinian suicide bombers, Jan. 31: Many of us poignantly remember the suicidal Buddhist monks during the Vietnam War, and even one or two secular American youths, who protested that war by burning themselves to death. I believe that young Palestinians resisting Israeli occupation would be far more effective if they would carefully blow up only themselves. Adding murder to suicide only perpetuates and deepens the culture of revenge so endemic to the Middle East.

The most effective tactic would certainly be nonviolent resistance, as taught and employed by Thoreau, Gandhi and King.

But if, in order to show the depths of their passion, Palestinians feel blood must flow, then let it be their own. By killing innocent noncombatants, they forfeit their chance to gain sympathy from their oppressors and the Western world.

They make themselves look like Al Qaeda terrorists instead, deserving only further suppression, retaliation and imprisonment.

Neal Donner

Los Angeles