Rush to legacy

Re “Bush in Israel to offer ‘significant nudge,’ ” Jan. 10

So President Bush now considers a Middle East peace agreement an imperative? I am tired of U.S. presidents spinning their wheels at the end of their terms trying to solve this problem so they can have a legacy. President Clinton tried to do the same thing. He might have succeeded too if then-Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat hadn’t been so stubborn.

Bush will be remembered as a warmonger. Besides, the last U.S. president to succeed with a Middle East peace accord was Jimmy Carter. And that didn’t seem to do too much for his legacy.

Selby Jessup

North Hollywood

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Re “Bush will find Israel ambivalent,” Jan. 8

After seven years in office, Bush is finally visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories in a bid to move the peace process forward. As an American Jew committed to a negotiated two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I believe that the American government should support efforts to bring about a peace agreement that would result in a secure Israel living alongside a viable Palestinian state. We need to see action rather than more words.

Bush needs to press forward with substantive demands of both parties, such as a complete freeze on settlement construction (including in East Jerusalem), increased Palestinian freedom of movement and access in the West Bank, an Israeli-Hamas cease-fire and continued improvements in the Palestinian security infrastructure.

If the American Jewish community wants the best for Israel, it will do everything it can to support Bush as he attempts to facilitate new negotiations and make real changes on the ground. We will also make sure that all the presidential candidates understand that such a process is among our top priorities.

Claire Gorfinkel

Altadena