Palestinian Terrorists Attack Jewish Civilians

How dare The Times glorify Jordan’s King Abdullah’s self-serving statement (“Hope Amid the Wreckage,” editorial, March 21)) comparing the fear of Palestinians to eat in a restaurant or send their children to school to the real-life fears of Israeli families.

Israel does not “ignore these basic human problems.” Israel is striking at military targets, usually with advance warning, and sometimes regretfully hurting civilians (most often when the terrorists are hiding behind or among them). The Arab terrorists are striking daily at Israeli civilian men, women and now children, right where they live, with no military advantage to be gained.

Everyone but the most jaded can at least recognize the difference in tactics and policies of the Israelis and the belief in the significance of a single human life as opposed to the Arabs continuing to kill innocents as well as their own people and themselves.

Allan Kandel

Los Angeles

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In your editorial, you refer to Yasser Arafat as the “man who has fumbled so many opportunities to improve the lives of Palestinians” and say he “should seize this one.” And on the same day, after his public promises to the U.S. that he is sincerely interested in peace, we hear of yet another suicide bombing of innocent civilians in Israel by one of his group’s members.

The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is linked to Arafat’s Fatah organization, and its activities have never abated despite Arafat’s words. Isn’t it time for our country to recognize that Arafat is a terrorist; that he is part of the problem and not in any way linked to peace?

Israel should be allowed to defend itself, and we who believe in peace must find other Palestinian leaders whose word we can truly trust.

LeRoy Loomis

Winnetka