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Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

How can the United States say it is going to fight terrorism everywhere, except in Israel, the hotbed of terrorist attacks? And how can the U.S. say it is not going to distinguish between those who harbor terrorists, except for Yasser Arafat? By voting to endorse a United Nations initiative calling for immediate Israeli withdrawal from "Palestinian land" the U.S. is desperately failing to practice what it preaches.

Israel has extended its hand to the Palestinians time and time again. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said, in exchange the Palestinians have responded with "terror, terror, and more terror." This includes the Passover massacre, and three other disgusting, cowardly attacks on civilians recently. What civilized nation would put up with such atrocities time and time again? How many Israelis have to die for the world to understand the Palestinians don't want to live in peace? They want to kill the Middle East's only democracy, because it is Jewish.

Even a top Bush official admitted it is fair to place the blame on the Palestinian leadership for General Anthony Zinni's noble but failed attempts to get a truce.

The European Union's envoy to the region Miguel Angel Moratinos said, "Arafat is not an enemy." Is he blind and deaf and anti-Israel? When Israeli Defense Forces raided Arafat's Ramallah compound, they found a large stash of heavy weapons and powerful explosives. Despite trying to stop terrorist attacks, Arafat calls for Arabs all over the world to become martyrs, and to take Jerusalem.

What else was Israel supposed to do than the launch what will hopefully be a major offensive to root out terrorists and terrorism? They're simply doing the job Arafat isn't doing, and probably doesn't want to do.

Arafat is a terrorist, he has always been a terrorist and unfortunately he will probably always be a terrorist. The only way to deal with terrorists is to taken them out. Or haven't we learned that yet? The U.S. and not surprisingly, the United Nations, are terribly misguided in not helping Israel win the war on terror. It is time to stand up and fight terrorism everywhere, or one day we will all be very sorry.

JASON GEWIRTZ
New York, New York