Quest for Peace in the Middle East

Re “Land for Peace Is a Losing Trade,” Commentary, Feb. 27: As Frank Gaffney Jr. points out, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah’s proposal to normalize relations between Israel and all Arab nations in the region in exchange for all land gained by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War is sure to be a deal where Israel gives up land and loses all hope of lasting peace and security at the same time.

What Abdullah offers is not his to give. Do you think Iraq will abide by it? Will Syria dismantle the Hezbollah terrorists it supports in Lebanon? Will Arafat honor the agreement three months after Israel signs? After Arafat and Abdullah are gone, will their successors treat the agreement like toilet paper or the newest vantage point from which to go after more?

Americans can answer these questions easily by asking themselves if Iran remained our ally after we helped to ease the shah out of power.

For Israelis there is no guarantee in any agreement that they cannot guarantee on their own, or without the staunch support of another strong Western democracy, the United States.

Jeff Schoenwald

Thousand Oaks

*

Gaffney’s argument of Israel’s security is the same old tired justification that Israel has used for over 30 years to illegally occupy territory and violate Palestinian human rights. And, as he stated, the international community has repeatedly condemned such actions, yet to no avail. Israel pays lip service to the peace process while not proactively doing anything to support it.

This, of course, in no way justifies the terrorist acts of desperate radicals who take the lives of innocent Israelis. But how do we continue to justify supporting Israel’s continued terrorist behavior toward innocent Palestinians? I guess Israel’s tactics of killing and punishing innocent Palestinians are justified since Israel is just protecting its security.

While Gaffney characterizes Abdullah’s plan as coming from his need for a “charm offensive,” he misses the point that without land, a Palestinian home, there will be no peace; after all, in 1948 Israel wanted a homeland and was given one, despite the Palestinians who were occupying the land.

Paul A. Zarou

Valencia