The Divide Over Israeli Settlements

The April 12 article, “Bush, Sharon Clash Openly,” repeats without challenge Palestinian claims about West Bank contiguity. Contrary to Palestinian allegations, the planned expansion of Maale Adumim will not cut off Arab areas in East Jerusalem from the West Bank. The planned neighborhood will in no way affect Palestinian traffic between East Jerusalem and the surrounding Arab communities of Abu Dis, Eizariya, Hizma and Anata.

Likewise, the allegation that the new Jewish neighborhood will impede north-south movement in the West Bank is nonsense.

Even if Israel were to fill in the Jerusalem-Maale Adumim corridor entirely, Palestinians will be able to travel north-south anywhere east of Maale Adumim, which at its narrowest point is 15 kilometers wide.

For comparative purposes, were Israel to return to its 1967 boundaries, a step that Palestinians and their supporters advocate, Israel’s narrowest point would also be only 15 kilometers wide. If 15 kilometers is considered sufficient for Israeli traffic, shouldn’t it also be for Palestinian movement?

Tamar Sternthal

Director, Israel Office

Committee for Accuracy

in Middle East Reporting

in America

Modi’in, Israel

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The United States supports the Israeli economy to the tune of $3 billion a year. The Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank are in direct violation of international law and U.N. resolutions. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expects the U.S. to pick up half the cost of relocating the settlers living illegally in these areas. To top it off, Sharon is dictating to President Bush exactly what illegal settlements Israel will continue to expand in a further land grab of Palestinian territories.

This is a country that continues to kill innocent Palestinians, refuses to return to the Green Line boundaries set by the United Nations or allow U.N. inspectors to visit Israel’s nuclear facilities, while demanding all Arab nations cease any type of nuclear program.

Bush needs to invoke the exact same policies toward Israel that President Eisenhower did when it attempted to start a war with Egypt by illegally commandeering the Suez Canal. The president needs to cut off all aid to Israel. Period.

John Zavesky

Riverside