After Tel Aviv Bombing, a Blessing and a Siege

Re “A Tale of Life-Saving in Mideast,” Sept. 23: I happened to know Jonathan Jesner, a victim of the Sept. 19 suicide bombing in Israel and the hero who saved the life of a 7-year-old Palestinian girl when she received his kidney, which his parents had donated following his tragic murder. Jonathan was a kind-hearted individual. His parents’ choice to donate his organs and his brother’s comment about the recipient, that religion or nationality was “unimportant,” truly attest to Jonathan’s greatness and character.

May his memory be a blessing, and perhaps we can learn a little from this episode: Even in times of war, there are still those who value human life above all.

Zev Nagel

Los Angeles

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Re “Assault on Arafat’s Complex Halted, but Stalemate Persists,” Sept. 23: Can I be the only person appalled by Israel’s recent assault on the Palestinian Authority? How difficult can it be to launch an attack with tanks, Apache helicopters and armored bulldozers (who pays for all that stuff anyway?) against a group armed only with light arms?

Until Israel realizes that military force alone will be insufficient to subdue a people whose land and rights are being stolen from them, there will be no end to the terror attacks.

What other options do the Palestinians have? Israel needs a leader of vision, not this bully, armed by the United States.

Chris Griffiths

Glendale