The Move to Remove Settlers From Gaza

“A Time to Move, and Move On” (editorial, April 3) is a rare display of mostly balanced American journalism. It stands on the side of peace, coexistence and justice in the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is striking however that your editorial ignores U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 and the Geneva Convention, which state that the occupation and building of settlements on occupied lands are illegal.

Our recent wars in the Persian Gulf, and pressure to force Syrian troops out of Lebanon, invoked U.N. resolutions. Why not also wield the same legal weapons against Israel? A just solution to this bloody conflict will go a long way to winning the hearts and minds of Arabs -- and to disarming potential terrorists of lethal political ammunition.

Hussein A. Amery

Littleton, Colo.

*

These are the facts: Israel is the Jewish homeland, and Judea, Samaria (the West Bank) and Gaza are as much a part of this homeland as Beverly Hills is American. Should Beverly Hills become annexed to Israel because of its large Jewish population? Preposterous!

But that is exactly what is being done to Gaza and northern Judea. The heartland of the Jewish people is being wrenched away not because of any Arab historical right to the land, but because the Arabs hate the Jews too much to live in peace with them.

So instead of removing the Jew-hating Arabs, the Jewish government decides to remove the Jews.

Yehoshua Dalin

Venice

*

I agree with the decision to remove Israeli settlers from Gaza, but I find it curious that somehow the reasons to remove them from Gaza -- “It diminishes Israel’s security to put so much military power and money into protecting settlers on land whose occupation is a special sore point in the Arab world” -- doesn’t seem to apply when discussing the removal of the settlers from the West Bank.

If the justification for the settlements is indeed felt to be a biblical right, is the West Bank more holy or does it just have more water and fertile land than Gaza?

Unless the heavens part and a big, booming voice echoes down that the West Bank belongs to Israel, I have my doubts that the whole settlement process hasn’t been a cleverly disguised land grab.

Thomas Van Meter

Santa Barbara

*

It is no surprise that a number of Israelis living in the areas of Gaza and the West Bank that will be evacuated are preaching violent resistance. With both the Israelis and the Palestinians seeing the same land as theirs, it seems they will forever be at war. While it is important to urge the Israelis against violence, the troops protecting these people just need to pull out and let the Palestinians come back in.

If some refuse to leave, they must face the consequences. No solution to the problem will be simple or without some bloodshed. If many Israelis agree with the evacuation plan, it also seems wise not to waste time or let the plan be changed by those who are preaching violence. Over and over again peace plans have been stopped because of outbreaks of violence. It really is time to move and move on.

Margaret Fisher

Portland, Ore.