Yasser Arafat Deserved to Be a Punching Bag

Gregory Orfalea’s view of Yasser Arafat (Opinion, Dec. 12) is not supported by objective facts. Arafat was a punching bag because he deserved it. He could not be a negotiating partner with Israel when he condemned terrorism on the one hand and promoted it with the other. The “deal of the century” that Orfalea derides could have been the basis for peace. Just as walls can be torn down and roads shared if neighbors demonstrate peaceful intents, these structures do not kill or maim anyone. Why is it that only in the Arab world are Jews not allowed to coexist with Arabs? Israeli Arabs don’t seem to be in a hurry to leave, even considering their status living among Israelis. Settlements don’t pose a threat to Palestinians if not threatened. They could provide a basis for economic growth and cooperation in a peaceful Palestine. The Israel-Palestine conflict may be a convenient proxy for the problems of the Arab world vis-a-vis the West, but those problems would not disappear if there were no conflict.

Art Friedman

Studio City