Opinion: Middle path may offer hope for Mideast peace

H.D.S. Greenway's article was another forthright attempt to report the true facts of the Oslo peace process and the inequitable, rapacious peace-for-land offer Israel presented to the Palestinian leadership. The talks did continue, but Ariel Sharon's election ended any chance for peace.

Yasser Arafat and Sharon are two old, monstrous enemies with historical hatreds -- tenacious, devious, devoted to their causes, now in mortal combat with high human casualties. The Palestinians know well Sharon's history for they have always been the victim of it.

These horrible, barbarous, terrorist attacks on innocent Israelis are the last resort of a dying civilization, a desperate endeavor by a hopeless people. The Palestinians know well that there is no place for them in Sharon's Israel. Regardless of how we feel about and support the state of Israel, what the Palestinians have been experiencing over the many generations is inhuman, uncivilized, unholy. I find it impossible to believe that most Israelis and American Jewry condone and accept this dreadful, destructive mission Israeli leadership perpetuates.

This gentile still supports the state of Israel and its right to exist. In my 71 years I have read books on the Jewish experience in history and, as a troubled Christian, traveled to Europe and visited Dachau and Mauthausen concentration camps. Long ago I made that choice, but now I am wavering and finding it very difficult to support the Israeli cause.

It is said that the state of Israel of roughly 1948 dimensions can easily be brought inside the defense perimeter of the West, however defined, and have its frontiers internationally guaranteed. But the more than 200,000 settlers on the West Bank cloud that possibility. Sharon will never abandon these settlers or that territory.

I hope the voices of the many thousands of American Jews and non-Jewish allies who have recently formed the Tikkun community are heard. They are committed to social equality, a characteristic most important to Jewish identity. According to Michael Learner, the rabbi editor of Tikkun, "Our goal is to forge a middle path of "tough love' for Israel -- recognizing that the best way to protect Israel and the Jewish people is to use the power of the international community to impose a settlement and end the occupation. That's the path for true self-affirming Jews and non-Jews who care enough about their Jewish brothers and sisters to get involved."

But the question still remains as was once secretly asked: Do they want a Jewish homeland in Palestine or all of Palestine as a Jewish state? If it's the latter, we could be in for a 1,000-year war.
-- Frank J. Koskosky, Bayonet Point

A state under Arafat would be a rogue

Re: How Mideast peace process was killed.

H.D.S. Greenway's column blaming Israel for killing the Mideast peace process represents some very convoluted conclusions as well as specious reasoning. Ehud Barak's dramatically generous offer to the Palestinians is criticized because "it was not an offer of a viable Palestinian state."

Overlooked by Greenway is a clear examination of Resolution 242 so slyly used by Arab propagandists. Resolution 242 clearly calls for "termination of all claims or states of belligerency" and it clearly states that "every state in the area" has "the right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."

It is very obvious that Arafat and the Palestinian Authority and their Hamas and Jihad allies have as their objective the elimination of Israel. As for living in peace "free from threats or acts of force," the homicide bombers of innocent Israeli children and civilians unleashed by the Palestinians indicate how careful Israel must be in establishing borders.

The red herring issue of the settlements could be readily settled. If the West Bank and Gaza are to be Judenrein, perhaps there could be a trade of populations. The Jewish settlers could give up the settlements and return to Israel in exchange for the voluntary transfer of Arab Israelis who make up almost 18 percent of Israel's population. It would be interesting to see how many Israeli Arabs would be willing to give up the standard of living, their excellent health care, life in a democracy, etc. for life in a viable Palestinian state lacking in human rights and governed by the corrupt Palestinian Authority.

In conclusion, the outlook for a viable Palestinian state governed by Arafat and the Palestinian Authority and their Hamas and Jihad allies is bleak. Not only would such a state not be viable, it would be another rogue state and haven for world terrorists.
-- Norman N. Gross, Ph.D, president, PRIMER (Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting), Palm Harbor

Keep the money at home

Re: House committee approves $200-million in Israeli aid, May 10.

President Bush said, "The way to stop terrorism is to cut off the money source." Then why are we giving Israel this $200-million... and $50-million to the Palestinians? They will just buy more guns, tanks and bomb to kill people.

This is taxpayers' money, which could be put to better uses, such as cancer research, prescription drug assistance, Medicare, Social Security, mental health programs and many worthwhile projects.

We should give U.S. foreign assistance for two years; then the recipients should be on their own, just like the welfare program.
-- Bob Pierce, St. Petersburg

A downward spiral

Re: Bomber sets back Mideast peace effort, May 8.

The scenario in the Mideast has been played out before. Thucydides comments in The Peloponesian Wars that Athens and Sparta, both civil states at the start of their disputes, became, after long years of conflict and ever more brutal attack and counterattack, nothing more than barbarians. The veneer of civilization long vanished.
-- John W. Rippon, Safety Harbor

Employing an old ignorance

Re: The modern history of ancient hatred, by David I. Kertzer's, May 11.

This column on the ancient anti-Semitism of Christians and the recent use of it by the Arab press is an obvious ploy of Arabs to use old Christian ignorance to further the goal of destroying Israel. How could Christians believe these obvious lies?

Jesus, the son of God, was a practicing Jew. He taught Judism to non-Jews. Christianity is an extension of Judism with Jesus Christ as our center. Judism and Christianity share the law of the Ten Commandments. By using this ancient anti-Semitic ignorance Arabs are insulting both Jews and Christians and in particular our lord Jesus Christ.
-- Margie Johnson, Beverly Hills

Sharon's flawed policies

Re: Sharon leaves a trail of destruction, by Arthur Obermayer, May 2.

Obermayer shows the true character of Ariel Sharon as a ruthless, power-hungry demagogue bent on destroying the Palestinians and stealing their lands. I thank God there are rational-minded Israelis who see the serious flaw in Sharon's policies and the need to change them before they spill over into the rest of the world.
-- George Dalack, Largo

Real massacres are by Palestinians

Re: The real perpetrators of massacre, May 3.

Charles Krauthammer's column hit the nail on the head. The only massacres taking place are those by the suicide bombers and murderers from Palestine. I believe it is time to get serious with the Arabs in the Middle East and quit playing games. Making up stories and fabricating outright lies are what they have been doing for years. It's about time Israel did what it had to do for the safety of its citizens.

The "Jenin massacre" is just one more example of the untruths that we hear from Palestine and Arafat. One thing that has not been mentioned is the Oslo peace agreement which Arafat agreed to and signed. Article XIV, paragraph 4 states that the only Palestinians who shall own or possess weapons, ammunition, etc. are the Palestinian police. It doesn't look like Arafat is holding up his end of this agreement, does it?

To believe that Arafat is an innocent bystander in this one must be totally naive. To say that Arafat is not responsible for this is denial or ignorance. In either case he should be relieved of his duties.
Don Mott, Largo

A miscarriage of justice

Re: Rejecting jury vote, judge gives killer life, May 7.

I was shocked to read the article about Judge J. Rogers Padgett overriding a jury's 10-2 recommendation for the death penalty for a career criminal and murderer named Alfred B. Harris. I always believed that the justice system allowed for a fair trial and objective judgment by a group of peers -- a jury. I know judges have the final decision, but felt they normally supported the jury's verdict unless there was a major justifiable reason not to.

I really struggle with the judge's reasoning as contained in the article. Using the rationale that the murder of a 71-year-old man and the rape of his 72-year-old wife is not "unnecessarily torturous to the victim" boggles my mind. To me, being murdered and/or raped would appear torturous to me!

The judge also stated that his murder and rape, "is not one of the most wicked for the wicked." The facts are one elderly father is dead and one elderly mother has been raped. That may not appear to be wicked to Judge Padgett, but it is wicked to me.

The judge further supports his decision by saying, "that the murderer had a bad childhood." Hello, a lot of us had difficult childhoods but we don't go out and rape and murder people. This sounds like a miscarriage of justice to me. Another point of interest -- the murderer is serving 234 years in prison for a similar rape and robbery when he was charged with murder.

Does this murderer deserve to live? I strongly feel that he doesn't and that many good law-abiding citizens feel the same. What about justice and sympathy for the victims' families?

The most frustrating thing about his whole situation is that we, as citizens, can do nothing to change Judge Padgett's decision. The only recourse we have is to vote him out of office if he runs for re-election. That's a sad commentary for our judicial system.
-- Joseph A. Laurinaitis, Palm Harbor

An inspiring teacher

Re: Storm drains, Unplugged, May 6.

I am 21 years old and living in Orlando now, but I went to Seminole Middle School in seventh grade and Ms. Debbie Love was my gifted teacher. It was her first year at that school. My friends and I had the best time in her class, and she encouraged us to start a schoolwide recycling program. We made sure every classroom in the school had a bin to put used paper in, then once a week during class, we kids would go around the school collecting it for recycling. It was a small beginning, but I was glad to be a part of it.

Since then I have not seen anything like that in a school. Ms. Love is the most inspirational person I have ever met. She welcomes everyone into her heart. I was glad to read this story and to hear that she is still doing things to make a difference in children's lives.
-- Kerri Masem, Orlando

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