May 1990, Page 24

Other People's Mail

Some letters by or to other people are as informative for our readers as anything we might write ourselves.

Israel and Ethiopia: A Ruthless Alliance

To the Washington Jewish Week, March 8, 1990

The State of Israel (Shamir's government) made a terrible decision in creating ties with Mengistu's dictatorship in Ethiopia. Not only is Israel providing military advisors and material which aid and abet the destruction and starvation that are rampant, but it is now absolutely clear that Shamir is providing cluster bombs that are killing large numbers of civilian adults and children.

The human rights abuses that Israel is making possible are patent. It is intolerable to realize that Israelis demonstrating no greater respect for human life than the lowliest of predatory nations which engage in genocide against innocent people. Furthermore, at a time when the Mengistu forces are faltering and his regime is generally seen to be crumbling, it makes no strategic sense for Israel to have made this unholy alliance. The putative motive to obtain the release of the remaining 17,000 Ethiopian Jews there cannot begin to justify the slaughter of many thousands more Ethiopians.

In the foreseeable future it is more than possible that a new government will be formed by the Tigreans and/or Eritreans who are currently the targets of the Israeli cluster bombs and the victims of Mengistu's tyranny. How, then, will Israel ever be able to establish harmonious and constructive diplomatic relations with people and a country it has helped to decimate'? Not only does this make Israel a ruthless co-participant in wiping out human lives, but it looks foolish and lacking in foresight as well.

Linda Gerber Klein, Washington, DC

With an Ally Like Israel, Who Needs Enemies?

To the St. Petersburg Times, Jan. 6, 1990

A letter writer, Dec. 7, derided you for your editorial, "The Israel-South Africa Link." Not only were you on the mark but his calling Israel "America's only reliable ally in the Middle East" is a bogus coin struck by the Jewish lobby and gained currency by stuffing Congress' deep elections pockets with real money.

Consider the following Israeli actions which resulted in frustrating America's policy and interest or exacting a terrible price in American life.

As early as 1953, Israeli agents fire bombed the American information office in Alexandria to sabotage relations with Egypt in what became known as the "Lavon affair."

On June 8, 1967, Israeli warplanes strafed and bombed the USS Liberty, 34 sailors were killed and over 200 wounded. Last year when the town of Grafton, WI, decided to name its new library the USS Liberty Memorial Library, the Jewish lobby fought it, calling it anti-Semitic. How can honoring fallen American sailors be anti-anyone?

When Americans lingered in captivity in our embassy in Tehran, Israel secretly supplied Khomeini with American arms. The illfated rescue was made from Egypt and not from Israel, "our only reliable ally."

In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, destroyed a good part of the country and killed 20,000 to 30,000 people with American weapons. The complicity was obvious and America became a target; 80 people were killed in the bombings of our embassies, 260 Marines were blown to pieces, the hostage saga began to unfold and Americans who lived in the Middle East for decades became at risk.

Israel employed a Jewish-American citizen, Jay Pollard, to spy on his country and received a room full of America's most intimate secrets.

The Iran-Contra scam was Israel's brainchild, arms to Khomeini for hostages. Israeli reserve officers were seen on American TV training the drug dealers' armies in the jungles of Colombia.

Gen. Noriega was propped up by Israel. His mentor is Mike Harari, a high-ranking Mossad officer and Panama's honorary consul in Israel; Mrs. Noriega and her children are regular visitors to their two homes in Israel.

Israel breaks American laws every day by shooting men, women and children in Palestine with American weapons supplied for defensive purposes only. The transfer of American technology to embargoed South Africa is also a violation of American law.

The over-$60 billion we paid to Israel over the last 15 years is billed by the lobby as an 'investment." No kidding, with investments like that no one has to wonder why America is broke.

Ed TaIji, St. Petersburg, Fl

Racism and B'nai B'rith

To the Beaumont Enterprise, Feb. 25, 1990

Greetings. I am addressing you because you are the local sponsors of the "A World of Difference" (AWOD) campaign.

I became concerned about "A World of Difference" when I learned that the Anti Defamation League of B'nai B'rith was behind the program. The AWOD has had some problems in other parts of the country. I am not surprised. B'nai B'rith is known to support, even instigate, prejudice against Arabs and Arab Americans. B'nai B'rith is also an outspoken supporter of the state of Israel, a state whose government officially sanctions racism. The Arabs who live under Israeli occupation, as well as the Arabs who live within Israel, are discriminated against daily. It seems difficult to imagine that an organization which itself supports racism could effectively fight against racism.

As a society we have a desperate need to address the issues of racism and cultural diversity. An adequate look at these issues will necessarily bring us to look at economic inequality and sexism. Hopefully, some of the people who are committed to the AWOD program will integrate other pertinent social issues in the programs they develop to deal with racism and racial prejudice.

It is with a sincere desire to better our society by facing truths, by community involvement and by standing up against oppression that I write this letter.

Maggi Carter, Beaumont TX

Egypt Responds to Bus Attack Allegation

To the Christian Science Monitor, Feb. 16, 1990

The article "Egypt Attack May Stall Peacemaking," Feb. 6, exclusively alleges that the perpetrators of the assault on the tour bus in Egypt were "masked Egyptian extremists."

One wonders about the basis of this allegation. Neither in Egypt nor Israel, nor anywhere else, was any such accusation made in such a categorical manner. The writer did not wait for any investigation results. Nor does he qualify this accusation. The ambush survivors made it clear that the assailants spoke Arabic with a non-Egyptian accent.

The leader of the extreme fundamentalist group in Egypt, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, unequivocally condemned the assault as a "perfidious crime."

Mohammed Wahby, Embassy of Egypt, Washington, DC

Self-Determination for All?

To Senator George J. Mitchell, Jan. 30, 1990 In your speech to the Commonwealth Club of Northern California you stated: "For two centuries the world has looked to the US as the beacon of freedom, the voice of self-government, the advocate of self-determination ... Through consistent support for self-determination and human rights, we uphold our ideals and keep alive the hope of people throughout the world struggling to be free."

Unfortunately, the policies and practices of the US government in relation to the Palestinians "make a mockery of our professed concern for human rights and are inconsistent with our stated ideals," to borrow another phrase from your speech, Senator Mitchell. For more than 20 years, Israel has denied self-determination and many other fundamental human rights to the Palestinians, over whom Israel exercises authority by force, in defiance of the overwhelming majority of the members of the United Nations. The US gives Israel $3 billion every year—nearly $700 for every Israeli man, woman and child. If we stopped these outright gifts the Israeli economy would collapse. If we simply stated that we are stopping all of our payments until Israel recognizes and respects the fundamental rights of the Palestinians, including the right of self determination, Israel would have no choice but to comply. Since we do not do this, but continue the massive support which enables Israel to continue its oppression of the Palestinians, it follows that the US and Israel are equally guilty.

Senator Mitchell, I do not understand how you can speak so movingly about the principle of self-determination for the Chinese and fail to mention the Palestinians. To paraphrase your plea to Bush, I urge you to strongly and publicly press the Israeli government to grant to the Palestinians the self-determination which is the right of all men and women.

Abram V. Martin, San Francisco, CA

American Senator Intervenes on Behalf of Israeli Settlers

To Senator Daniel Inouye, June 27, 1989

Yesterday night I saw you on Israeli Television's evening news broadcast. You were visiting the Israeli settlement Alfey Menashe on the West Bank and being received as a guest of honor by the settlers. On this occasion you stated that the settlement is a nice-looking community, with schools and even a country-club.

I must say I feel very distressed at this intervention of yours in our politics, and your taking sides in Israel's most hotly debated controversy. I believe that your act gave legitimacy to a very illegitimate and very dangerous phenomenon.

Certainly the settlements in the occupied territories have a neat and prosperous look. How else would they look when the government is investing a large slice of the taxpayers' money in providing the settlers with the most modern amenities? (Nothing of the kind is done for the inhabitants of slum neighborhoods in Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem—I advise you to visit one of them, the next time you are in Israel.)

I am quite ready to believe your statement that when you visited the settlers in their own homes they were relaxed, did not carry weapons and—in short—looked very different from the way they look when they are in the midst of a punitive raid on a Palestinian village. This does not change the fact that the settlers maintain an extensive and well-armed vigilante force, which is regularly attacking Arab villages, destroying property, shooting, wounding and sometimes killing, and which is dedicated to preventing any peace agreement involving Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza. All of this could be very easily substantiated by a casual glance through the Israeli press and the records of the Israeli police and criminal courts. I may add that the settlers of Alfey Menashe, whom you visited, took an active part in several such raids, and that their mayor, Slomo Katan—who acted as your host—participated personally in them. I am sure that many of these people are also faithful husbands, loving fathers and charming conversationalists—but this is quite besides the point.

I hope you will take notice of my feelings on this matter, which are shared with a large part of the Israeli public.

Adam Keller, Tel-Aviv, Israel

A Double Standard Exposed

To The New York Times, Feb. 27, 1990

In response to Leonard Horwin's Feb. 5 letter "The Thousand Year War Still Rages": As an American who has lived and worked in Arab and Islamic countries for more than 10 years, I would characterize Mr. Horwin's letter as revealing more about his own anti-Arab racist attitudes than spreading any enlightenment on the Mideast debate.

It is disappointing that you would print a letter abusing any people or religion. I know that you would never be so insensitive as to print a letter repeating stereotypes about Jews as "shylocks" or that claimed that the Jewish religion is somehow inferior. That should follow for all other peoples and religions.

Yes, the Arab people have resisted the initial establishment of Israel and its subsequent expansion. However, this resistance is not because the settlers are Jewish, nor is it a "thousand-year war" between East and West. Surely it can be understood that, had these settlers been Eskimos, the native people would similarly resist land confiscation and second-class citizenship.

Yes, as Americans we think of Israel as a safe-haven for world Jewry, or as the gathering place for the survivors of Nazi death camps. However, we must understand that to the natives of Palestine it has meant subjugation and displacement. To those occupied, colonization by any other name remains the same.

Mr. Horwin describes Arabs and Muslims as incapable of democracy, implying that they therefore are inferior societies. Is he implying that they don't deserve self-determination? Or that they don't hurt so much under Israeli occupation?

Let's keep racism out of diplomacy. Perhaps our diplomatic failings in the entire area are due to our having too many "diplomats" like Mr. Horwin.

Jeff Boshar, Lynnfield, MA

Misrepresenting Islam

To the Lariat, Dec. 17, 1989

In Rabbi Krause's letter published in the Dec. 14, 1989 issue of Lariat, I found thinly disguised innuendo and half-truths. As a Muslim, I am offended by his definition of jihad. Even a casual study of Islam clearly shows that in Islam peace is the general rule for human relations. War is permitted only against aggression. Jihad, the word which to a Muslim means the effort or struggle for personal peace and salvation, is made synonymous with violence by the Rabbi. For a Muslim, "The most excellent jihad is to speak the truth in the face of a tyrannical ruler." (Prophet Mohammad)

Rabbi Krause's letter misrepresents Islam. That is a great disservice to the American national interest. The struggle of the Palestinians is an effort by the Muslims and Christians of Palestine for basic human rights, against oppression. Rabbi Krause, please do not misrepresent the religion of one-fifth of humanity, the majority of whom are not even Arabs, for political aims.

Rafique A. Khan, Los Angeles, CA