An Inaccurate Interpretation

Of Middle East Events

To the Editor:

Mr Towne’s letter to the editor, “Retaliating Against Retaliation”  has saddened us on a number of fronts. On the patriotic front we were disappointed to find out that there are those among us who feel differently from 90 percent of Americans. The public’s majority justifies and defends the USA right, and obligation, to eradicate the terrorists who destroyed the World Trade Center and a section of the Pentagon, have murdered thousands of American civilians, and led to an economic catastrophe.

Mr Towne’s interpretation of the events in the Middle East is, to say the least, incomplete, inaccurate, biased, and  flimsy. The war between Israel and the Palestinians is not over land. Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Barak has offered the Palestinians virtually all of the West Bank, in return for a piece of paper titled “Peace.” The Palestinians, who have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity, instead of accepting Israel’s offer or negotiating  a better one, have initiated a violent military uprising (Intifada).

The uprising is not fought only with “hurled stones” (which, by the way, have already killed tens of Israeli women and children!). The Palestinians, aided by other terror organizations, are using machine guns, hand grenades, anti-tank missiles, and mortars which, according to the Oslo Accord, the Israeli government has permitted that the Palestinian authorities use for…internal security purposes! Of note also is that the Israeli army is showing significant restraint. In 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973 the State of Israel fought and won wars initiated by numerous Arab countries, which had large and well-equipped armies. A decisive military victory against the Palestinians is within Israel’s reach. But this is not the intention of any Israeli government.

True wisdom and real courage involve showing restraint when fighting against people who have no respect to human life and would blow a school bus full of children rather than negotiate an agreement for peaceful co-existence. We do not think there are many countries which would have shown this degree of restraint against an evil, cruel, and merciless enemy who has but one desire – destroy the State of Israel.

Mr Towne is erroneously thinking that going after terror organizations is a “retaliation.”  This is a war over a way of life. Israel and the USA are symbols of freedom (Israel is still only democracy in the Middle East), of cultural achievements, of religious tolerance, of respect to human life and of openness. For some groups of people, these attributes are felt to be a threat to their existence, thus they turn to terror. If we are to maintain our way of life, the war against these immoral, vicious forces has to be fought with vigor, with wisdom, with conviction, and with unity.

Laurie and Eitan Kilchevsky

9 Equestrian Ridge, Newtown                                     September 25, 2001