Gauging the Meaning Behind the Handshake

Re “Handshake Without Meaning,” Commentary, Feb. 11: Saree Makdisi apparently sees no reason for optimism in the handshake of Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon. That’s too bad if it reflects the thinking of other Arabs. All he sees of the last 10 years of hopes for peace and continued conflict is Israeli transgressions against Arabs.

He doesn’t say one word about suicide bombers, rocket launches, the vows to eradicate Israel, the Arab attack on America, the terror bombings in Africa, Europe and Asia. In his worldview, there was no dancing in the Arab streets of Palestine after 9/11. No conflict has ever been settled with a viewpoint as devoid of objectivity as his.

Lester Ostroy

Redondo Beach

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Makdisi is correct to note that Israel’s actions reveal that separation -- rather than peace -- remains its intention. However, he fails to grasp that a real peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is currently not an option. It will take time (hopefully less than a generation) for both sides to forget the horrors inflicted by the other and to overcome the resulting mistrust.

The handshake between Abbas and Sharon means that Israel is beginning to cure itself from the settlements’ cancerous ideology and to free itself from the settlers’ moral and economic burden. The Gaza pull-out is the beginning of this crucial process.

The Palestinians, by resorting to a murderous campaign and by continuing it after Sept. 11, have rendered themselves spectators in this process, which will determine the physical borders of a future Palestine. Abbas’ job is to make sure Palestinians do not disturb that process, so a future peace deal is possible.

Hagay Cohen

Potomac, Md.

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The Times discussion of the Palestine situation is cautiously expressed in the Michael Ramirez caricature and Timothy Garton Ash’s article (“Rice’s EU Charm Offensive,” Commentary, Feb. 10). No mentioning of the basic problem underlying our world problems: There is no common ground as long as some stones, hills, temples, etc. are “holy” for Jews, Muslims, Christians, etc. How can one separate two states under those conditions?

The same applies to the ever-growing masses in the Arab world where birthrates are high, but religious indoctrination leaves no room for real education, professional skills and a gross national product of value.

H.F. Matare

Malibu

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Ramirez’s political cartoon depicting Israel’s Sharon benevolently saving Palestine from falling off a cliff shows a radical lack of insight into the realities of the conflict.

A more relevant depiction would show Sharon pushing Palestine off the cliff with a balloon of Sharon’s thoughts: the confiscation of more Palestine land.

Douglas Croixford

Costa Mesa